Easy Vanilla Slices Recipes

EASY VANILLA SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 F / 200 C. Unfold puff pastry sheets, and place flat onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. (I am not able to buy whole sheets of puff pastry so in my photos you will see 'square' shapes of pastry!) When cool enough to handle place the pastry on to a cutting board and cut rectangles of even sizes. You need 12 rectangles. Once cut, set aside.
• ** Remember, there will be a bottom layer and a top layer of pastry. I cut my pastry in to approx 5 inches (12.5 cm) long by 2.5 inches (6 cm) wide, so I had 12 rectangles.
• In a pan, add the sugar, custard powder, cornstarch and some of the measured milk to combine to a thick paste. Then add the remaining milk. Place on a medium heat and keep stirring until thick. Add the butter and combine. When the custard starts to simmer, remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract and then the egg yolk, and stir very well. Allow to cool.
• Line a suitable baking dish with aluminum foil and also up the sides of the dish so you can lift the slices out later. Place 6 of the baked pastry rectangles in the bottom of the dish, pack them so they are a tight fit. If you don't have a pan to fit the rectangles, you can use the foil and bring it up the side to keep the custard from spilling off the pastry. The photo below shows you I had to do that with the foil as my pan was too big.
• Spread the custard filling in an even layer over the pastry, then place the other pieces of pastry on top. Select the nicest side to make the surface!
• In a cup, add the powdered sugar and milk, and vanilla extract and stir until a paste. Spread this icing over the top of the pastry. I use a brush so it is even. Place the slices in the fridge until set. When firm, use the sides of the foil and lift from the dish, and slice to the sizes you wish.
• When ready to serve, top with strawberries or leave as they are.

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.

VANILLA SLICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to hot (200 degrees celsius, fan-forced).
• Grease and line a square cake tin with baking paper (approx 20 x 20cm). Leave sides of baking paper longer so you can lift slice out using the paper.
• Cut two frozen puff pastry sheets so they are just a little larger than the cake tin.
• Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper. Place a puff pastry square on each tray and then add another layer of baking paper on top of the pastry square.
• Place another baking tray on top of each tray (to flatten the pastry during the baking process) and place in the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool and then place one sheet of puff pastry into the prepared cake tin. Trim the sides a little with a sharp knife to fit if necessary.
• Prepare custard filling by combining dessert mix, milk and cream. Whisk until mixture thickens.
• Pour custard mix into the cake tin on top of the first pastry layer and smooth out evenly using the back of a metal spoon. Place the second pastry sheet on top of the custard mixture and press down gently. Place into fridge for half an hour.
• Combine icing sugar, butter, half of the boiling water and pink food colouring. Whisk to combine and continue adding water gradually until you have a mixture that's just runny enough to pour.
• Pour icing over top of slice and smooth out evenly with a butter knife. Place slice back in fridge to set for another half hour.
• When set, ease the entire slab of slice from the tin using the overhanging paper. Slice into 9 squares using a sharp serrated knife.
• Store in the fridge for up to three days.

EASY CHEAT'S VANILLA SLICE RECIPE

Steps:

• Pour the milk and cream into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the vanilla instant dessert mix and beat until thick and creamy (around 1-2 mins).
• Line a square baking dish with baking paper and place a 3x3 grid of SAO biscuits into the tray. Pour whipped dessert mix into the centre, gently pressing it out towards the edges and smoothing out the top as you go.
• Top with another 3x3 grid of SAO biscuits. Pop in the fridge for 1 hour to set.
• Sprinkle with icing sugar, then cut into slices by gently running a knife between the biscuits.

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 (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 SLICE

Steps:

• Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 200° C (400° F - Gas 6)
• Leave the pastry at room temperature for a little while before rolling
• Cut the contents of packet in half and roll out each piece into 30 cm squares
• Place each square on an un-greased baking tray and stab all over with the tines/prongs of a fork to lessen the chance of it rising too much
• Bake for about 10 minutes or until browned
• Carefully trim each sheet to about 23 cm square and pat any risen areas back down with your hands
• Line a 23 cm square baking tray with tin-foil and allow plenty of overlap for easy removal
• Place one sheet of the pastry in the foil
• Add the sugar, cornflour and custard powder to a cold saucepan, add a little milk and combine to a paste
• Whisk in the remaining milk and mix well
• Add the butter, heat the pan and gently bring to the boil, stirring often
• Reduce the heat, stir in the vanilla essence and simmer for 3 minutes to thicken
• Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl and then whisk into the pan
• Pour the hot custard over the first piece of puff pastry, cover with the second sheet and pat down so it comes into contact with the custard everywhere
• Lemon icing
• Beat the lemon juice and zest in with the butter. It may help to microwave the butter for a few seconds to soften first
• Beat in the icing sugar and add a little water if needed
• Allow the sandwich to cool then spread the icing evenly over the top
• Chill in the refrigerator