Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and side of the pan and press to adhere.

Stir together the crushed Oreos and butter in a bowl until the mixture is evenly moist. Press the crumbs into the parchment paper-lined springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to compress the crumbs. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Brush the crust with the beaten egg white and bake for another three to fives minutes. This step is optional, but it helps the crust stay crisp.

In a bowl, microwave the 8 ounces of semisweet chocolate with butter in 15-second intervals and stir. Repeat the process until the chocolate melts and smooths out.

On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread out chopped cherries. Pour melted chocolate all over and mix to coat. If immediately making the cheesecake, place in the freezer to quickly set, but if making the chocolate-covered cherries ahead of time, place in the refrigerator. We don't want the cherries to freeze. We're just going for set chocolate here.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Tightly wrap the outside of the springform pan with an oven bag and tie on the side if possible. Then, tightly wrap the outside with two layers of aluminum foil, making sure the foil goes all the way up the side for extra insurance.

To make the cheesecake filling, combine the softened cream cheese, dark brown sugar and white sugar in the large mixing bowl. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth, creamy and fluffy, about two to three minutes. As needed, scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula.

Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt until it all comes together. Don’t overmix.

Beat in the eggs one at a time at medium speed. Mix just until the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Peel the set chocolate-covered cherries off the parchment paper and place on a cutting board. Use a knife to break up the set chocolate-covered cherries into small pieces. Add all the pieces to the cheesecake filling and gently stir to combine.

Place the wrapped springform pan into a large roasting pan. Fill with enough boiling water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Don't pour water past the foil. Alternatively, you can place a pan of boiling water on the rack below the cheesecake. I recommend this method if you don't have an oven bag and are worried about leakage.

Place the cheesecake on the middle rack, close the oven door and immediately turn the oven to 250 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

After the hour and 30 minutes, turn off the oven completely. Do not open the oven door. Let the cheesecake sit for 3 hours. Do not open the oven door at this point either.

Remove the cheesecake and allow to come to room temperature, about an hour or so. Place in the refrigerator uncovered with the springform pan intact. Do not cover at this point or condensation will build up. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least four hours, before covering. Allow to set in the refrigerator for at least another four hours or overnight, which is preferred.