1 To cook the sponge: first prepare a 19cm/7 1/2 inch souffle dish by lightly brushing base and sides with oil. Put a circle of greaseproof in the base and coat sides with sugar. Knock out any surplus sugar.
2 Put prepared mixture into the souffle dish and microwave on full power for 4 minutes.
3 Allow to stand, covered, for 4 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
4 Split the cooled sponge cake in half and spread with jam. Sandwich together and cut into chunks.
5 Use sponge chunks to line a large deep glass serving dish.
6 Drain the juice from the apricots and mix with the sherry. Spoon over the sponge and press down with the back of a metal spoon.
7 Mix the apricots with the almond essence (extract) and pile evenly on to the sponge.
8 Cool the custard sauce slightly and beat in the egg yolk.
9 Pour the custard over the apricots to cover. Cool and refrigerate to set.
10 Whisk the cream until it stands in soft peaks, then spread over the custard to cover.
11 Using a fork, make a pattern on the cream and decorate with glace (candied) cherries and angelica.