Categories: Cakes 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
------------------------------------CAKE------------------------------------ 
    3/4 c  Butter 
    2/3 c  Caster sugar 
      5    Egg yolks 
    1/4 t  Almond essence 
    175 g  Plain chocolate (6 oz) 
  1 1/2 c  Ground hazelnut filberts 
    1/2 c  Self-raising flour 
      2 T  Cocoa 
      6    Egg whites 
 
-----------------------------------ICING----------------------------------- 
      4 T  Apricot jam 
    1/3 c  Butter 
    175 g  Plain chocolate (6 oz) 
      2 T  Apricot brandy (or subst.) 
  
  Preheat oven to 160C (325F).  Grease a 9in spring form cake tin and line 
  the bottom with greaseproof paper. 
   
  Cream the butter then add 1/3c sugar slowly, beating in between additions. 
   Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating in between.  Melt the chocolate 
  and add it to the mixture along with the almond essence and hazelnuts. 
  Beat.  Fold in the cocoa and flour. 
   
  Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then add 1/3c sugar slowly, whisking in 
  between additions.  Stir about a quarter of this into the cake mixture to 
  lighten it, then *fold* in the remainder.  Spoon this into the cake tin. 
   
  Bake for 60 - 70 minutes, until the top is firm and the centre cooked (test 
  with a metal skewer).  Cool and remove from tin. 
   
  Warm the apricot jam until it is semi liquid.  Spread over the top and 
  sides of the cake.  Allow to cool and set slightly.  Melt the butter and 
  the chocolate for the icing and mix with the brandy, if used.  Cool until 
  it reaches a consistency for icing, then ice the top and sides of the cake.