SERVES
4
For the pudding
75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup caster (superfine) sugar
3 eggs
75 g/3 oz/¾ cup plain (all-purpose) flour
½ teaspoon vanilla essence (extract)
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
225 g/8 oz/2/3 cup fruit jam (conserve)
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup Irish whiskey
5 tablespoons sherry
For the topping
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla essence (extract)
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups milk
300 ml/½ pint/1¼ cups double (heavy) cream
50 g/2 oz/½ cup almonds, toasted
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and line a wide, flat baking sheet with oiled baking foil. Whisk together the sugar and eggs in a bowl over a pan of hot water until pale. Fold in the flour and vanilla essence, then pour the batter into the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes until springy to the touch. Turn out on to a cornflour-dusted surface and remove the foil. Spread the jam over the surface of the cake and roll up from the long side. Set on dish to cool, then pour the whiskey and sherry over the top.
To make the topping, whisk the egg yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla essence into the milk in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir over a low heat until the mixture is thick, then pour over the roll, leave to cool and refrigerate for 1 hour. Whip the cream until stiff, then spread over pudding and decorate with toasted almonds.