Custard Vanilla Slice Food

VANILLA SLICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Unfold puff pastry sheets, and place flat onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, custard powder and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Mix in just enough milk to form a paste, then gradually mix in the rest. This will prevent lumps from forming. Add the butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until thick. You may need to use a whisk to ensure a smooth consistency. When the mixture comes to a simmer, cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the egg yolks and vanilla.
• Line a 9 inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Place one of the baked pastry sheets in the bottom of the dish. Spread the custard filling in an even layer over the pastry, and top with the other sheet.
• Mix the confectioners' sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk, and a dash of vanilla to make an icing. Spread over the top of the pastry. Refrigerate until the custard layer is firm. Remove from the pan and slice.

CUSTARD (VANILLA) SLICE

Steps:

• Place piece greaseproof paper onto a flat biscuit tray and spray with cooking spray. Put a sheet of puff pastry on tray and pierce all over with a fork, but don't go all the way through pastry.
• Put in oven about 200°C until puffed up and golden.
• Let cool for a few minutes and gently push pastry down (I use a teatowel so my hands don't get burned) so it's flat. Take it off baking tray and remove paper.
• Put pastry into a square dish that has been greased and lined with greaseproof paper. If pastry too big trim the sides a little. It should be a snug fit.
• Bake second sheet of pastry, remove the paper and set pastry to one side until custard is done.
• For the custard, put the sugar and custard powder into a large saucepan and mix together with a wire whisk.
• Add the milk and mix to combine well.
• Put saucepan on stovetop and heat on medium high until mixture begins to thicken, then lower the heat until mixture is very thick and hard to stir. I find using the wire whisk until mix begins to thicken prevents lumps, then use a spoon to stir it.
• Add vanilla and mix well then pour into prepared dish.
• Smooth top so it's even and put 2nd pastry sheet on top.
• The icing amount depends on how thick a layer you want it, but I usually melt about 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 teaspoon boiling water. Then I add icing sugar, passionfruit pulp and a bit of water or lemon juice until it's the right consistency and amount--you don't want it too runny.
• Pour the icing on top and put in fridge for a few hours or overnight.
• Cut into squares and enjoy!

VANILLA CUSTARD SLICES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out 250g of the pastry on a sheet of baking parchment to about 25cm square. Scatter over half the almonds, then press them in very gently, dust with half the icing sugar and lay over a second sheet of baking parchment. Lift onto a baking sheet, and sit another baking sheet on top like a sandwich. Fill a few small tins with baking beans (or something similarly heavy and ovenproof, like uncooked rice). Bake for 30 mins, then have a quick peek - it will probably need another 5 mins to be well browned and crisp all over.
• Remove from the oven, take off the weights and top baking tray, then carefully lift off the top sheet of parchment and leave to cool. Repeat with the remaining pastry - you can do both sheets at once if you have enough baking sheets and tins, but they might not cook as evenly with two in the oven, so it is safer to do one at a time. Cool both completely.
• Put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften, then put the remaining custard ingredients in a big saucepan. Set over a low heat to start, whisking continuously to mix well, then increase the heat a little until the custard is gently boiling. Keep whisking the whole time - the custard will thicken and lump unevenly, but keep cooking and whisking until it is smooth and very thick.
• Remove the custard from the heat and take out the vanilla pod. Squeeze out the water from the gelatine sheet, then stir it into the custard until it has dissolved.
• Line the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with baking parchment - criss-crossing two big strips will give you the neatest corners. Using a big, sharp knife and a ruler - or the base of your tin if it is removable - trim one pastry sheet to a shade under a 20cm square, so it will sit inside the tin, almond-side down. Spread over the custard as evenly as you can. Trim the second pastry sheet in the same way, but then divide the square into eight 10 x 5cm rectangles (so it will be easier when you cut the slices later). Sit them on top of the custard, almond-side up, putting them back together a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. Gently press down on the pastry so it doesn't break but sticks to the custard, then cover and chill for 4 hrs or so, but better still overnight.
• To serve, lift the slice from the tin and cut all the way through where the pastry top is already cut. Dust the slices with a little more icing sugar and serve. Best eaten within 24 hours, when the pastry is still good and crisp.

CUSTARD SLICE

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the flour and salt together. Rub in a third of the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then roughly rub in the remaining butter, leaving large lumps.
• Add the water a little at a time until the pastry just binds together (you may not need all the water).
• Tip the pastry out onto a floured work surface. Roll into a narrow rectangle about 2.5cm/1in thick.
• With the pastry vertically in front of you fold the bottom third of the pastry up onto the middle third then the top third down onto the other thirds. This is called a turn.
• Wrap the pastry in cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes
• Take out of fridge and with a rolling pin roll out again into a narrow rectangle and repeat the turn as before.
• Chill again and repeat the rolling and turning once more, so a total of three times. Wrap the pastry in cling film and return to the fridge to rest.
• While the pastry is resting, make the crème pâtissière. Pour the milk into a pan and add the split vanilla pod and its seeds. Bring the milk mixture to the boil, then remove from the heat.
• Whisk the sugar, egg yolks and cornflour together in a large bowl.
• Pour out a little of the hot milk onto the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Whisk in the rest of the hot milk until well-combined, then return to the pan.
• Cook the mixture over a gentle heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture becomes thick. It will just come to the boil.
• Remove from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl. Add the butter and stir until melted and thoroughly combined.
• Leave to cool, cover with clingfilm and then chill before using.
• Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
• Divide the pastry into two equal pieces and roll out both pieces to 20cm/8in square and 5mm/¼in thick. Then place each pastry sheet onto the lined baking trays, and chill for 10-15 minutes.
• Bake the pastry sheets for 10-15 minutes or until golden-brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.
• While the pastry bakes, line a deep 23cm/9in square baking tray with foil with plenty of extra foil at the sides. The extra foil allows you to lift out the assembled slices.
• Place one pastry sheet in bottom of the lined baking tray. (Reserve the prettiest piece for the top.)
• Spread the crème pâtissière evenly onto the pastry in the baking tray before placing other piece of pastry, on top. Refrigerate while making the icing.
• For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in cold water until thoroughly combined and set aside.
• Transfer the melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle, and set aside to firm up slightly.
• Take the custard slice from the fridge and spread the icing over the top layer of pastry.
• Using the piping bag, draw ten parallel lines along the top of the icing in one direction. Using a tooth pick, pull parallel lines about 2.5cm/1in across the melted chocolate and icing in alternating directions to create a feathered effect.
• Place the slice back into the fridge to set.
• Cut the finished vanilla slice into eight pieces.
• Using the foil carefully lift the portioned vanilla slices out of the tray and place onto a serving platter.

VANILLA CUSTARD SLICE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 180°C
• On a biscuit tray, place pastry between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper and place another biscuit tray on top to keep the pastry from rising. Bake the pastry sheets in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
• In a large saucepan, warm the milk, butter and sugar over a medium heat until the butter is melted. Blend the cornflour and custard powder in extra milk until smooth and pour into the saucepan
• Turn the heat to high and bring the custard to a boil, stirring continuously to ensure no lumps form
• When the custard is thick and smooth, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the egg and vanilla
• Line the base of a 23cm square cake tin and place one sheet of the pastry on the base. While the custard is still hot, pour over the base
• Place the other sheet of pastry on top of the custard, pressing down firmly. Set aside to cool slightly. Refrigerate until the custard is firm
• Combine sifted icing sugar with softened butter, vanilla essence and 1-2 tbsp hot water in a bowl. Mix well until it forms a spreadable consistency
• Spread over slice and cut into squares

VANILLA CUSTARD SLICE

Steps:

• To make the base, add the base ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until it resembles fine crumbs and sticks together when pressed. Spoon mixture into a lined slice tin (20x20cm) then press down with the back of a spoon, so that it is smooth. Place in the freezer.
• To make the vanilla layer, add coconut milk, coconut cream and vanilla to a small saucepan over medium heat; stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until hot. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
• In a heat proof mixing bowl, add egg yolks, arrowroot and rice malt syrup, whisking until well combined. Slowly add the hot mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Dissolve gelatin in hot water and then add to custard mix. Mix well.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring regularly for approximately 30-35 minutes until the mixture thickens. Do not allow it boil as it might curdle. Let cool for 20-30 minutes.
• Next, pour the custard over the top of the base layer and place in the refrigerator to set overnight.
• When ready to serve, slice into pieces and serve immediately. Store any remaining in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

LEMON VANILLA CUSTARD SLICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200C / 395F / 180C.
• Line two baking trays and place a sheet of puff pastry on each one. Lay another piece of baking paper on top of each, then place another baking tray on top of each without pressing down.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Heat together the milk, cream, butter, vanilla. and sugar a heavy based saucepan over low to medium heat until bubbles just start to appear. Make sure to stir regularly. Turn the heat off.
• Place the cornflour, water, lemon zest, lemon juice and egg yolks in a large bowl and beat with a handheld beater just until combined and lightened.
• With the beater on low, slowly drizzle the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Don't rush it or you may end up scrambling your eggs.
• Return it all to the saucepan and heat over low-medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens. It will get quite thick after 4-5 minutes. It is ready when it starts looking 'bouncy' almost and when dolloping custard on top of itself, it takes a while to settle back into itself. Turn the heat off.
• Sit an 8x8 inch square baking tin on top of one of the pieces of baked puff pastry. Use a large, sharp knife to cut straight down through the pastry around the base of the pan so you have a square that will fit inside the pan.
• Repeat with the second sheet of puff then slice this second square into 8, 9 or 12 pieces (whichever size you want to serve).
• Line the square tin with baking paper, then place the first puff square in the bottom.
• Pour the custard over the top and level it out with an offset spatula.
• Place the sliced pieces of the second sheet of puff over the top, butting up to each other.
• Place in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours (or overnight)
• At any time, once the custard is cool, you can make the icing.
• Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice until it forms a smooth paste. Pour then level it over the top of the custard slice, still in the tin. This should set at least 1 hour before serving.

VANILLA CUSTARD SLICES

Steps:

• Line a 20 x 30cm cake tin with baking paper and arrange the crackers in the bottom.Make a paste with the flour, cornflour, custard powder, salt, water, vanilla and egg yolks. Heat the milk, sugar and butter and add to the paste while whisking. Return to the pot and cook until the custard is thick, stirring continuously.Whip the egg whites until stiff then fold into the lukewarm custard. Pour the custard over the crackers and place another layer of crackers on top. Allow to set in the fridge until completely cool.Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together with a little hot water to form a paste and drizzle over the tops of the custard slices. Cut into slices and serve.Makes 16-20.Recipe reprinted with permission of The Kate Tin. To see more recipes, please click here.To receive quick and convenient weekday recipes, join our Easy Weekday Meals mailing list, and for up-to-date trending food, restaurant and wine news subscribe to our Editor's Weekly newsletter.