Marjolaine Multilayered Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup whole almonds
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups creme fraiche
• 15 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Lindt or Tobler brand, broken into pieces
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 10 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 2 cups pastry cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 2 cups pastry cream
• 2 cups praline powder

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Oil a baking sheet with a light vegetable oil.
3. Spread the almonds on another baking sheet and bake until fragrant and light brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool.
5. Combine the nuts and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
6. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the sugar begins to melt.
7. The mixture will go through several stages, from a dry blend to one where the sugar forms little bubbles the size of peas.
8. Continue cooking, stirring constantly so all of the sugar clinging to the almonds melts, until the mixture turns dark brown and syrupy and the nuts make a popping sound.
9. The whole process will take about five minutes.
10. Quickly pour the mixture onto the oiled baking sheet.
11. The mixture will harden to give almond brittle.
12. When the praline is cool, break it into pieces.
13. Grind it to a fine powder in a food processor.
14. (Praline can be made weeks in advance and refrigerated or frozen in an air-tight container.)

whole almonds, sugar, creme fraiche, bittersweet chocolate, egg yolks, sugar, flour, milk, unsalted butter, hazelnuts, sugar, egg whites, flour, pastry cream, vanilla, rum, pastry cream, praline powder

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3374 (may not work)