Chocolate Apricot Brandy Cake

Ingredients

Cake

    * 1 1/2 cups  blanched almonds
    * 3/4 cup  dried apricots (5 oz.)
    * 20 oz bittersweet chocolate, in pieces
    * 10 oz. unsalted butter
    * 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    * 3 Tablespoons  cornstarch
    * 3/4 cup  brandy
    * 9 eggs

Chocolate Glaze

    * 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
    * 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
    * 8 Tablespoons  unsalted butter
    * 1 Tablespoons  light corn syrup

Instructions

Cake:
Spread the blanched almonds on a cookie sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven until lightly brown. Remove and let cool. When cool, chop coarsely.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the dried apricots. Macerate in the brandy for at least 10 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the Celebration Pan and place in the refrigerator or freezer to firm the butter.

Combine the chocolate, butter, and sugar in a double boiler and heat until smooth. Reserve.

Drain the apricots and dissolve the cornstarch in the reserved brandy. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, apricots, cornstarch and brandy mixture, and chopped almonds. Add the chocolate mixture and combine well. Pour into the prepared Celebration Pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pan until lukewarm. Unmold to a rack set over a baking sheet with sides to glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:
Place chocolate pieces, butter, and corn syrup in small bowl and carefully melt, stirring frequently. (This can be done in the microwave oven or over a water bath.) Cool mixture to 90 degrees. Pour the glaze in the center of the cake and spread quickly with a metal icing spatula over the top and down the sides of the cake, working the glaze as little as possible.

Serves 16-20