Black Cherry Cheesecake

I am currently obsessed with the Food Network's Best Baker in America. This week's episode featured a New York-style cheesecake challenge, and I decided to play along from home. For reference, a cheesecake is classified as New York-style when it contains sour cream and is baked in the oven.

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Gingersnap Crust & Cheesecake Filling

For the crust:
2 cups gingersnaps, finely ground
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
3 8-ounce bricks of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
³/₄ cup sugar
³/₄ tablespoon cornstarch
pinch of salt
1¹/₂ teaspoons lemon juice
¹/₂ teaspoon vanilla extract
¹/₂ cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

For the topping:
16 ounces frozen pitted black cherries
¹/₂ cup sugar
¹/₃ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¹/₂ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix ground gingersnaps with butter. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. For the purpose of removing the cheesecake more easily from the pan at the end of the process, line the pan with parchment paper and coat bottom and sides lightly with butter.  Encase the springform pan in aluminum foil, folding the foil up around the sides of the pan. This will ensure that water doesn't seep into the pan during the baking process (the cheesecake will be cooked in a water bath - see step 7). 
3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack.
4. While the crust is baking, mix cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch using the paddle attachment, until the mixture is fully blended and creamy. 
5. Add lemon juice, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix in completely. 
6. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time. Mix until fully blended, but take care not to overmix. Pour mixture into the springform pan.
7. Place springform pan onto a larger baking dish and put into the oven. Pour 3 cups boiling water into the bottom of the larger pan to surround the cheesecake. Baking in a water bath will produce a creamier cheesecake. 
8. Bake for 1 hour, or until the sides of the cheesecake have set and the middle is still wobbly.
9. Cool for one hour in the oven. Turn the oven off and crack the oven door. 
10. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cheesecake. As the cheesecake cools, it will contract, so un-sticking it from the sides of the pan will prevent the cheesecake from cracking.
11. Once the cheesecake has cooled completely, refrigerate it (ideally overnight).

Black Cherry Topping

1. In a saucepan, mix cherries, and sugar. Dissolve cornstarch into the water, and add to the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens. Add vanilla extract, stirring gently. 
2. Remove from heat and cool completely. 
3. Spoon over the cheesecake before serving.