Sponge :
4 Eggs
125g (4 oz.) Caster Sugar
125g (4 oz.) Sieved Flour
60g (2 oz.) Melted Butter

120g (4 oz. ) Sliced Almonds
½ pot Apricot Jam
6 Egg yolks
600ml(1 pint) Milk
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Glass Sherry (dry if possible)
300ml(10 oz.) Cream

First make the sponge. Line a swiss roll tin with non-stick paper.
Whisk the 4 eggs and the 4 oz. sugar together until light stiff
and creamy.
( The classic test is that you should be able to leave a trail of
the figure of eight in the mixture with the whisk)
Now fold in the melted butter and then ( using a metal spoon )
fold in the sifted flour.
Pour this into the prepared tin and bake it at 180 C 360 F Gas 5
for 20 mts. until golden, firm and dry in the centre.
Tip this on to a cooling rack and leave to cool.
(or buy some trifle sponges)
Brown the almonds on a tray in the oven while you cook the sponges.
Now make the custard;
Put the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Beat the egg yolks up with the sugar and the vanilla and pour over the hot milk.
Beat again and pour back into the pan.Put on a moderate heat and,
stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, continue to heat until the
mixture coats the back of the spoon (if it starts to bubble at the
edges take off the heat , pour into a cool bowl and whisk hard).
Cut the sponge into squares about 2″ by 2″ and spread on one side with the jam.
Place these in the bottom of a large serving bowl and sprinkle over the sherry.
Sprinkle over half of the browned slivered almonds.
Now pour over the still warm custard and put into the fridge to set.
While it is setting whip the cream until stiff.
Just before serving spread the cream over the top of the trifle
and scatter over the rest of the almonds.