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1
Prepare the vanilla cream: In a bowl, mix 1/3 cup super fine sugar and vanilla pudding powder with 1/2 cup milk and stir until smooth. In a pan, heat 1 1/2 cups milk and add the pudding mixture. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl, cover with foil and allow to cool.
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2
Preheat oven to 350u00b0F. Grind 10 oz of the walnuts in a food processor and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar, then gradually stir in the egg yolks one at a time. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and 3/4 of the ground walnuts. Gradually fold this mixture into the creamed butter and sugar, alternating with 1/3 cup milk.
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3
Whip the egg whites until stiff and fold into the cake batter. Put the batter into a greased 9 inch springform cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
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4
When cake has cooled, remove from the pan and cut into 3 layers, horizontally. Whip 3/4 cup of the whipping cream until very thick and fold into the cooled vanilla cream. To build the cake, place the bottom slice on a serving plate, layer with half the vanilla cream, and evenly spread the apricots on top. Then place the second cake slice on top and layer with the other half of the vanilla cream and sprinkle with the crumbled meringues. Add the top cake slice and refrigerate for 2 hours.
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5
Meanwhile, make the walnut caramel: Separate 16 walnut halves and set aside on a large piece of greased foil. Roughly chop the remaining walnuts. In a pan, heat 1/2 cup sugar until caramelized and drizzle some over the walnut halves. Stir in the chopped walnuts, then pour over the kitchen foil to make a sheet of caramel. Immediately sprinkle with 1 tbsp of the remaining ground walnuts. Allow to cool.
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6
To decorate, whip 1 1/4 cups cream until thick and spread evenly and smoothly all over the cake. Press the remaining ground walnuts around the side. Top with the walnut halves and broken pieces of the walnut caramel.
