• Preheat the oven to 350°F with the oven rack in the lower-middle position.
• With your fingers spread the 1/2 tablespoon butter in the bottom of a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan and up the sides slightly.
• Take 2 pieces of tin foil and make a + sign with them. Place your springform pan in the middle and then bring up the tin foil and tuck in around the pan.
  

Make the crust

• Combine melted butter and graham cracker crumbs in a bowl. Stir together until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan. You can either leave the crust on the bottom only or bring some up the sides of the pan as well. Use a glass cup or measuring cup to press the crust down tightly.
• Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Let cool completely while you prepare the cheesecake.

Cheesecake

• Combine the softened cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Mix on medium-low speed until the mixture is creamy, like thick frosting, and no lumps of cream cheese remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
• Add the sour cream and vanilla to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed until combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
• Beat in the eggs and the yolk one at a time. Wait until the previous egg is just barely mixed into the batter before adding the next one.
• Stir the whole batter a few times by hand, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl, to make sure everything is incorporated. The finished batter should be thick, creamy, and silky.
• Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled crust and spread evenly. Transfer to a water bath.

  * For the water bath use a cookie sheet filled with 1/2" hot water. Place the tin foil lined sprinform pan with the cheesecake batter inside, into the water bath. Picture in post for a helpful visual if needed.
• Bake for 50-60 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the outer ring of the cheesecake looks slightly puffed and set, but the inner circle still jiggles (like barely set Jello) when you gently shake the pan.
• When the cheesecake is done cooking, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside, with the door just slightly left open, and let sit and cool for 1 hour.

  Remove from the oven, take out of the water bath, and let cool completely on a cooling rack. 
• Cover and leave the cooled cheesecake in the fridge for at least 12 hours but preferrably 24 hours. 
• When ready to serve, cut into slices and serve with the raspberry sauce (recipe below) or whatever topping you want. 

Raspberry Sauce

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, stir together 1 1/2 cups of the frozen raspberries, sugar and water. Heat the mixture to boiling, stirring often. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add the vanilla extract.
• In a small cup, combine the cornstarch and two tablespoons of water. Mix well. Pour into the boiling raspberry mixture. Stir and boil over medium-low heat for 4 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and mix until the butter has completely melted.
• Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes. Add the last of the raspberries and stir to combine. Pour a spoonful over each slice of cheesecake.