Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
     1/2  cup           Sugar
   3      tablespoons   Cornstarch
     1/4  teaspoon      Salt
   3      cups          Milk
     1/2  cup           Dry sherry or dry white wine
   3                    Eggs yolks -- beaten
   3      tablespoons   Margarine or butter
   1      tablespoon    Vanilla
   2      packages      (3 ounces each) -- Ladyfingers
     1/2  cup           Strawberry preserves
   1      pinch         Strawberries, sliced -- or
   1      package       (12 ounces) frozen -- Strawberries, thawed
   1      cup           Whipping (heavy) cream
   2      tablespoons   Sugar
   2      tablespoons   Toasted slivered -- Almonds

Preparation:

Mix 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch and salt in 3-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in milk and sherry. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir at least half of the hot mixture gradually into egg yolks. Stir into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in margarine and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until chilled. Cut ladyfingers lengthwise in half. Spread each half with strawberry preserves. Layer one-fourth of the ladyfingers, cut sides up, half of the strawberries and half of the pudding in 2-quart serving bowl; repeat. Arrange remaining ladyfinge around edge of bowl in upright position and with cut sides toward center. (It may be necessary to ease ladyfingers gently down into pudding about 1 inch so they remain upright.) Cover and refrigerate.Beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled medium bowl until stiff. Spread over dessert. Sprinkle with almonds.