• Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°c fan.
• Line your Swiss roll baking tray with baking or parchment paper and set aside.
  
• Using an electric stand or hand mixer with a large bowl and whisk attachment, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until thick, pale and frothy as shown.

  This took around 3 minutes with my KitchenAid stand mixer, so might take a little longer if using a hand mixer.
  
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• Sieve the flour, cocoa powder and salt into the bowl and then gently and slowly fold the dry ingredients through with a spatula, until well combined with no pockets of flour remaining.

  It's important to be gentle when folding through to avoid knocking any of the air out that you've just whisked into the egg and sugar mixture!
  
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• Slowly pour the mixture into your lined Swiss roll baking tray, holding the bowl as close to the tray as possible to avoid losing any volume from the mixture.
  
• Gently tilt the tray slightly to help spread the mixture to all four corners and to level out the mixture.
• Bake in your preheated oven for 9-10 minutes.
• While the cake is in the oven, place a piece of baking or parchment paper (slightly bigger than the size of the Swiss roll baking tray) onto a work surface and dust it with icing sugar.
  
• Once the cake is baked (you can tell it's baked when you touch it with your finger and it slowly springs back), remove it from the oven and carefully place it face down onto the baking paper dusted with icing sugar.
  
• Carefully remove the tray (as it will be hot!), and then slowly peel the baking paper away from the baked cake.
  
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• Using a sharp knife, carefully cut halfway through the cake, about an inch away from the longest side of the cake, as shown. This is to help with rolling it up!
  
• Now gently and slowly roll the cake up (with the paper inside), starting from that same side, rolling it up as tightly as possible. It's important to do this now while the cake is hot to prevent it from cracking.
  
• Leave to cool completely on your countertop. Mine took around an hour to cool.
  
• While your cake is cooling, sieve the whole tin of cherries over a small bowl. Retain the leftover cherry syrup for later.
  
• I used a spoon to help push as much syrup through the sieve as possible.
  
• Place the sieved cherries into a small bowl and add two tablespoons of Kirsch/cherry liqueur (optional). Stir to combine and leave aside.
  
• Using a large bowl and the whisk attachment of your stand or hand mixer, whisk 250ml double cream on medium speed until lightly whipped and spreadable.
  
• Once the cake is completely cool, slowly and gently unroll it.
  
• Using a pastry brush, brush 2-3 tablespoons of Kirsch/cherry liqueur onto the cake.
  
• Pour the lightly whipped cream on top and then spread evenly with a spatula or palette knife.
  
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• Add the cherries (leaving any liquid in the bowl) and add a few tablespoons of leftover cherry syrup.
  
• Slowly and gently roll the cake back up. Due to the amount of filling some may ooze out of the sides! Place the cake into the fridge to firm up slightly while you make the ganache topping,
  
• See notes at the bottom of the recipe card if you'd prefer a tighter roll inside your Swiss roll!

Ganache Topping

• Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a medium bowl. Chop it as finely as possible to avoid having any small lumps in your finished ganache.
  
• Gently warm 220ml double cream in a small saucepan on a low heat. Once you see tiny bubbles forming around the edges, remove from the heat.
  
• Pour the warmed cream onto the dark chocolate and leave for around 20 seconds to slightly melt the chocolate. Then stir until completely combined and smooth. Leave aside to cool and thicken slightly. I left mine for 10-15 minutes, though this will depend on your room temperature.
  
• Remove your chilled Swiss roll from the fridge and place onto your chosen serving plate or cake stand. Using a palette knife or even just a spoon, dollop the ganache on the top and sides of your Swiss roll and spread to cover it evenly.
• Once my ganache was spread evenly, I simply ran a fork along it to create these log-like grooves!
• To finish, whip 130ml double cream until thick, then pipe swirls on top. Finally, top the swirls with fresh cherries!
  
• Store in the fridge to firm up and between servings due to the fresh cream content. Best eaten within 3-4 days, or less depending on the expiry of your double cream.