Chocolate Peppermint Swiss Roll

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Position a baking rack in the center of the oven and preheat.

2. Stage

Prepare the baking sheet: Spray a 13x17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, then spray again and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. Set aside.

3. Stage

Sift together the dry ingredients: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt together. Set aside.

4. Stage

Warm the eggs and sugar: Make a double boiler by filling a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and brining the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large heatproof bowl, and set this bowl over the simmering water. The bowl should be larger than the pan and sit above the surface of the simmering water. Begin whisking the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract with a sturdy whisk. Continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the egg mixture is pale and warm to the touch. Remove from heat.

5. Stage

Beat the egg mixture: Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the warm egg mixture on high speed until the mixture is very pale, has a shiny gloss, and has nearly tripled in volume. This will take 5 to 10 minutes depending on your mixer.

6. Stage

Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture: Sprinkle half of the flour and cocoa mixture over the surface of the eggs, and gently fold until just barely combined. Sprinkle the remaining flour and cocoa mixture over the top and fold until you see no more dry streaks and the mixture looks uniform. Drizzle the melted, cooled butter into the mixture and gently mix to combine.

7. Stage

Spoon mixture onto the baking sheet: Working quickly, use an offset spatula to spread the batter out evenly.

8. Stage

Bake: Bake for 6 or 7 minutes or until cake has pulled away from sides and is springy to the touch. Cool cake 2 for 3 minutes in the pan, but no longer. While the cake is baking, prepare a kitchen towel for rolling. Find a clean kitchen towel that is larger than your baking sheet (or use two, overlapping). Dust it all over with cocoa powder.

9. Stage

Roll the cake: With swift, confident motions, run a knife along the outside edge of the cake pan. Set the pan on its side, and then flip face down onto the dusted towel. Carefully lift the pan up and away, and peel away the parchment. Fold the edge of the towel over one of the shorter sides of the cake and gently roll the cake up. Set the rolled cake log on a wire rack and cool completely, an hour or longer.

10. Stage

Make the whipped cream: Whip the heavy cream until is fluffy, then add the sugar and peppermint extract. Continue whipping until the cream just barely holds firm peaks; be careful not to overwhip.

11. Stage

Fill the cake with whipped cream: Gently unroll the cooled cake on a clean surface. Spread the whipped cream filling evenly over the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Roll the cake back up again (this time without the towel!). If any whipped cream squeezes out as you roll, spoon it up and add it back in.

12. Stage

Chill the cake: Wrap cake roll in parchment, then plastic wrap, and set in fridge to chill at least 30 minutes to set, or as long as overnight.

13. Stage

When ready to finish the cake, make the ganache: Make a double boiler by filling a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water, and bringing the water to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Set a larger bowl on top of the saucepan, over the water. Add the heavy cream, 2/3 of the chopped chocolate, and a pinch salt to the bowl. Stir until melted. Remove the bowl from heat, and stir in remaining chocolate and corn syrup.

14. Stage

Drizzle the cake with the ganache: Unwrap the chilled cake and set it on a platter, seam-side down. Slip 2 pieces of parchment on either side of the "log" to catch the drips. Drizzle the prepared ganache over the roll until it is completely covered. Remove the parchment paper "drip catchers." Scatter the peppermint candy bits on the top.

15. Stage

Chill and serve: Set the cake in the fridge and chill 20 minutes. Slice and serve!