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FOR THE CAKE: Pour boiling water over seeds, let stand for 5 minutes, pour off water and repeat.
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Drain well.
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Grind with steel blade in processor until seeds release milk and turn white.
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Butter a 9 inch springform pan and dust it with ground almonds. (This may be done in advance.) Best to butter parchment paper to cover bottom of pan and sprinkle with ground almonds.
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Place poppy seeds and honey in a large bowl.
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Separate eggs.
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Add room-temperature yolks, one by one, to the mix, beating until thick.
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Stir in grated almonds and lemon zest.
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Beat egg whites until satiny but no dry.
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Fold a little into the mixture, then fold in the rest, until no white shows.
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Pour mixture into pan, rapping it gently to release air pockets, and smooth the top with a spatula.
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Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 350u00b0F oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
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Do not open oven door or disturb the cake while baking.
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Cool slowly, not in a draft.
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Run a sharp knife around the sides, then slowly release the spring.
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Run a knife under the bottom and cool on rack.
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TO FILL CAKE: Cover work surface with double sheets of wax paper.
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With a sharp knife, make a small incision around the torte to mark where it should be cut in half.
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Make horizontal cuts at four equidistant points, then gently pull a long thread through the cake to cut it into two layers.
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Sprinkle bottom layer with 2 or 3 tablespoons of rum, and evenly spread rum butter filling about 3/4 inch thick.
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Cover with top layer and press gently.
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Cover the sides with the rest of the filling.
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Refrigerate overnight wrapped in foil.
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TO ICE CAKE, cover work surface or a lazy susan with wide double-strength foil.
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Apply a third of the icing to sides with a spatula, pulling from the bottom up.
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Wipe spatula occasionally to avoid pulling crumbs, and dip in hot water to smooth out ridges.
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With the rest of the icing, smoothly cover the top.
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Refrigerate for at least 2 days.
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Run a sharp knife around bottom to release icing from paper.
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Slide the torte onto one hand, pull off the remaining paper and gently place torte on serving platter, taking care not to crack the icing.
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Yields about 20 slices.
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Keeps well in refrigerator.
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Serve at room temperature.
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RUM BUTTER FILLING: (Rumova masa) This is an excellent cream, the base of which may be used with different flavors.
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Here, rum is used.
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It is used as a filling for the poppy seed torte.
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This filling can also be used as icing.
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Cream butter until light, add sugar a little at a time, rum, and cream.
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Beat until very fluffy.
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WHITE ICING: Bila Shklytsia.
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This hard icing dries quickly and forms a lovely cover for a torte.
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It cures hard, not fluffy.
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Place 2 cups sugar in a bowl and add cream and vanilla.
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Mix well, gradually adding the rest of the sugar.
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Add a little more cream if too stiff.
