Dolce Torino/torta Gianduja

Toast the hazelnuts in the oven and remove the outer skins. Melt 1
Tbsp of the sugar in a small saucepan and add the toasted hazelnuts
to it. Process or pound this combination to a smooth hazelnut paste.
Melt 3oz/85g of the unsweetened chocolate and set aside. Whisk
together the 6 eggs, 3 egg yolks, and all but 1 Tbsp of the remaining
sugar until foamy and thick. 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. Add the honey,
remove from the heat, and continue to beat until completely cool and
thickened. 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. Sift the flour
and cake flour into the egg, sugar and honey mixture and fold in very
carefully and gently. Then fold in the chocolate-hazelnut mixture.
Pour this into two buttered and floured 9-inch/23cm cake pans and
place in a preheated 190C/375F oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. When
the cakes are done, lift out of the oven and turn out onto a clean
cloth, where they can be left to cool. 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. 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. Put
the apricot jam in a small saucepan and add the remaining 1 Tbsp
sugar. Stir over low heat until melted, then set aside in a warm
place. Melt the sweetened chocolate and also set aside in a warm
place. Whip the cream and chocolate mixture until stiff. Place the
cooled cakes on a serving platter with a sheet of wax paper
underneath. Slice off the hard crust. Mix the liqueur with the brandy
and paint half of it all over one of the cakes. 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. Paint the top of the cake
with the remaining liqueur, then coat the cake completely with
apricot jam. Spread with the sweetened chocolate and decorate with
the remaining chocolate cream. Remove the wax paper before serving.
Do not put the cake in the refrigerator, but keep it in a cool place
until ready to serve. This cake is traditionally baked in a round pan
and has “Gianduja” or “Gianduia” written across it with melted
chocolate.

Viviane’s Note: If you cannot get unsweetened chocolate, substitute
bittersweet chocolate and reduce the amount of sugar. I would maybe
use about 3/4 cup of sugar (half the suggested amount) but it depends
on how sweet you like it to be.