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1
Toast the hazelnuts in the oven and remove the outer skins.
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2
Melt 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a small saucepan and add the toasted hazelnuts to it.
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3
Process or pound this combination to a smooth hazelnut paste.
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4
Melt 3oz/85g of the unsweetened chocolate and set aside.
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5
Whisk together the 6 eggs, 3 egg yolks, and all but 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar until foamy and thick.
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6
Do this with the bowl standing over a saucepan full of warm water; don't allow the water to get any more than body temperature, or the cake will be spoiled.
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7
Add the honey, remove from the heat, and continue to beat until completely cool and thickened.
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8
Place the butter, melted chocolate, vanilla, and hazelnut paste in another bowl over a pan full of hot water or in the top of a double boiler and stir until smoothly mixed together.
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9
Sift the flour and cake flour into the egg, sugar and honey mixture and fold in very carefully and gently.
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10
Then fold in the chocolate-hazelnut mixture.
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11
Pour this into two buttered and floured 9-inch/23cm cake pans and place in a preheated 190C/375F oven.
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12
Bake for about 40 minutes.
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13
When the cakes are done, lift out of the oven and turn out onto a clean cloth, where they can be left to cool.
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14
Put the remaining 5oz/140g unsweetened chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water or in the top of a double boiler, add the cream, and stir until smooth.
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15
As soon as it begins to boil, remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on the top.
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16
Put the apricot jam in a small saucepan and add the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
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17
Stir over low heat until melted, then set aside in a warm place.
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18
Melt the sweetened chocolate and also set aside in a warm place.
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19
Whip the cream and chocolate mixture until stiff.
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20
Place the cooled cakes on a serving platter with a sheet of wax paper underneath.
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21
Slice off the hard crust.
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22
Mix the liqueur with the brandy and paint half of it all over one of the cakes.
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23
Spread three-quarters of the chocolate cream over the same cake, then put the other cake on top, so that the two form a single cake.
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24
Paint the top of the cake with the remaining liqueur, then coat the cake completely with apricot jam.
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25
Spread with the sweetened chocolate and decorate with the remaining chocolate cream.
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26
Remove the wax paper before serving.
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27
Do not put the cake in the refrigerator, but keep it in a cool place until ready to serve.
