Almond gateau

Start with the apricots for the filling. Chop them very finely or liquidise them with the water. Combine the apricots, water and jam sugar in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes while stirring continuously. Skim off the scum. Set aside.

Separate the egg whites and egg yolks. Whisk the yolks with half of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the water. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff, then beat in the rest of the sugar. Mix together the flour, baking powder and almonds and fold into the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Pour into a greased, bread-crumbed spring form tin about 26 cm in diameter. Bake in the lower part of the oven for about 40 minutes. Turn out the cake, allow it to cool, then cut it horizontally into four layers.

Combine the cream, egg yolks, icing sugar and corn flour in a saucepan and boil, stirring, until the mixture thickens. Strain the custard and pour it back into the saucepan. Add the vanilla sugar and butter and stir until the butter is thoroughly mixed into the custard. Cover the saucepan with a lid and refrigerate until cool. Spread the apricot jam over three of the cake layers. Spread the custard over the jam and sandwich the layers together. Decorate the cake with icing sugar and sweets.