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1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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2
Butter and dust with flour an 8-inch diameter circular cake pan.
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3
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
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4
Bring water to boil in a saucepan.
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5
Chop the chocolate coarsely and add it to the water.
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6
Lower the heat and melt the chocolate, stirring constantly.
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7
Let it cool for several minutes.
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8
Add chocolate to the flour.
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9
Using an electric beater, mix for 1 minute or until well blended.
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10
In another mixing bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and vanilla.
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11
Add to the chocolate mixture.
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12
Beat again for a minute until smooth.
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13
Pour the batter in the cake pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
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14
Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
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15
Remove from the pan; cool thoroughly on a rack.
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16
When the cake is at room temperature, break it up into small pieces.
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17
If you have a food processor, place it in the bowl and pulverize it to the texture of fine bread crumbs.
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18
This can by done by hand by placing cake pieces in a plastic bag and running over them with a rolling pin.
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19
In a third bowl, combine cake crumbs, walnuts, rum and preserves.
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20
Stir with at wooden spoon or your hands and blend thoroughly.
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21
Form a ball with 1/4 cup of the mixture.
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22
You should be able to make about 12 balls.
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23
Set aside.
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24
Cut the almond paste into 12 pieces.
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25
Roll each piece into a little ball.
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26
Place one ball of the almond paste between two sheets of wax paper.
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27
Roll out each to a 5-inch diameter.
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28
Wrap the rounds of almond paste around the chocolate balls.
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29
Roll the balls into a roughly oval shape, somewhat like a potato.
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30
Place the ovals on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for 40 to 60 minutes to firm up the paste.
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31
Roll each oval in cocoa, shaking off excess, and serve at room temperature.
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32
You may poke little holes in each oval with a skewer to simulate potato eyes.
