-CAKE-
3/4 c  Butter
2/3 c  Caster sugar
5    Egg yolks
1/4 ts Almond essence
175 g  Plain chocolate (6 oz)
1 1/2 c  Ground hazelnut filberts
1/2 c  Self-raising flour
2 tb Cocoa
6    Egg whites

ICING
4 tb Apricot jam
1/3 c Butter
175 g Plain chocolate (6 oz)
2 tb 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.