Instructions: For the Apricots: Bring water and sugar to boil in medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vanilla bean and Sauternes and reduce heat to medium-low so syrup simmers. Add apricots to syrup and poach until apricots soften, about 10 minutes. (If using dried apricots, poach until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.)

Remove from heat and let stand until cake is almost ready to serve. (Apricots can be poached several days in advance; the longer they stand in syrup, the more intense their flavor.)

For the Topping: Melt butter in 9-inch round or square cake pan. Let cool briefly. Sprinkle sugar evenly over butter, then add sliced almonds, tilting and shaking pan to distribute evenly. Set aside.

To Assemble: Toast cardamom seeds in small dry skillet over low heat until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and grind. Set aside. In food processor, pulverize pistachios with 1/4 cup flour as finely as possible.

Beat together butter and sugar using electric mixer until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl once or twice. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating slowly and stopping mixer to scrape down any unincorporated batter. After eggs have been added, batter may look curdled; this is normal.

Sift together 3/4 cup flour, baking powder and salt and stir into batter. Mix in pistachio-flour mixture and cardamom. Transfer batter to prepared cake pan by making 4 or 5 mounds of batter on top of almonds. Carefully spread batter into even layer, disturbing almond-sugar topping as little as possible.

Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 15 to 30 minutes.

While cake cools, remove apricots from liquid. Heat liquid over medium heat and cook until liquid is reduced by half and is thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Use knife to loosen sides of cake from pan. Invert serving plate over cake pan, then flip both over. If necessary, shake gently or tap upturned bottom of cake pan to release cake.

Serve with poached apricots and their syrup.

This recipe yields 10 to 12 servings.

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