Chocolate Roll

Directions

1. 1
   In a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the coffee over hot, not simmering, water, stirring occasionally.
2. 2
   Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
3. 3
   Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl and let cool until tepid.
4. 4
   Preheat the oven to 350.
5. 5
   Lightly butter an 11x17 inch jelly roll pan.
6. 6
   Line it with waxed paper, with a little of the paper overhanging at each end of the pan, and lightly butter the paper.
7. 7
   In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar until the mixture forms when the beater is lifted.
8. 8
   Stir into the tepid chocolate mixture, blending thoroughly.
9. 9
   In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
10. 10
    Stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites just until no white patches show.
11. 11
    Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tilting the pan to spread it evenly.
12. 12
    Smooth the top.
13. 13
    Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 300 and bake for another 5 minutes.
14. 14
    Remove the pan from the oven.
15. 15
    Cover the cake with a damp cloth and refrigerate the cake in its pan for 1 hour.
16. 16
    Carefully remove the cloth from the cake and loosen the roll from the sides of the pan with a knife.
17. 17
    Using a fine strainer, heavily dust the top of the cake with most of the cocoa.
18. 18
    Cover the cake with a sheet of waxed paper.
19. 19
    Lay out a large kitchen towel on a flat work surface.
20. 20
    Grabbing both ends of both sheets of waxed paper,quickly but carefully flip the cake over onto the towel.
21. 21
    Carefully remove the sheet of waxed paper from what is now the top of the cake.
22. 22
    In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until slightly thickened.
23. 23
    Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cognac and continue beating until the cream is thick enough to spread.
24. 24
    With a thin, flexible spatula, spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake, leaving a small border along all the sides.
25. 25
    Grasping both the kitchen towel and the waxed paper along one long side, gently roll the cake into a jelly roll shape, pulling the cloth and waxed paper away as you go.
26. 26
    On the last turn, roll the cake onto a serving platter, seam side down.
27. 27
    If the cake has sagged at all, gently push the roll back into shape with your hands.
28. 28
    Trim the ends of the roll so the cream filling is flush with the ends of the cake.
29. 29
    Cover any cracks on the outside of the cake with a final sifting of cocoa.
30. 30
    Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.