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1
In a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the coffee over hot, not simmering, water, stirring occasionally.
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2
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
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3
Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl and let cool until tepid.
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4
Preheat the oven to 350.
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5
Lightly butter an 11x17 inch jelly roll pan.
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6
Line it with waxed paper, with a little of the paper overhanging at each end of the pan, and lightly butter the paper.
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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.
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8
Stir into the tepid chocolate mixture, blending thoroughly.
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9
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
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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.
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11
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tilting the pan to spread it evenly.
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12
Smooth the top.
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13
Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 300 and bake for another 5 minutes.
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14
Remove the pan from the oven.
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15
Cover the cake with a damp cloth and refrigerate the cake in its pan for 1 hour.
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16
Carefully remove the cloth from the cake and loosen the roll from the sides of the pan with a knife.
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17
Using a fine strainer, heavily dust the top of the cake with most of the cocoa.
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18
Cover the cake with a sheet of waxed paper.
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19
Lay out a large kitchen towel on a flat work surface.
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20
Grabbing both ends of both sheets of waxed paper,quickly but carefully flip the cake over onto the towel.
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21
Carefully remove the sheet of waxed paper from what is now the top of the cake.
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22
In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until slightly thickened.
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23
Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cognac and continue beating until the cream is thick enough to spread.
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24
With a thin, flexible spatula, spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake, leaving a small border along all the sides.
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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.
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26
On the last turn, roll the cake onto a serving platter, seam side down.
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27
If the cake has sagged at all, gently push the roll back into shape with your hands.
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28
Trim the ends of the roll so the cream filling is flush with the ends of the cake.
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29
Cover any cracks on the outside of the cake with a final sifting of cocoa.
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30
Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.
