Vanilla Slice

Recipe from '100 Favourite Muffins and Slices'
Photo by Yasmin

Dear followers,
Sorry I haven't been blogging recently, I've been so caught up in school work and life - not having any time for myself. However, since it is the holidays, I will try to post as many delicious treats as possible - particularly Christmas Treats. First, however, I do owe my readers the long awaited recipe for Vanilla Slice. Personally, I don't like custard so this slice doesn't appeal to me, though I know you will enjoy it. I am told it is delicious! Merry Christmas and enjoy cooking my tasty treats!

Cheers,
Yasmin


Vanilla Slice

Ingredients:
Base:

• approx 200g flaky pastry

Filling:

• 1/2 cup vanilla custard powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tsp softened butter
• lemon juice or passionfruit pulp to mix

Method:
Heat oven to 190'C fanbake. Line the base and sides of a loose bottom square baking pan.

For base, roll the pastry out thinly to make two squares each about 2cm bigger than the pan. Prick the pastry evenly all over. Place the two pastry squares on an oven slide and bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Trim the cooked squares of pastry to fit the loose-bottomed baking pan. Place on square in it.

For filling, mix the custard powder and the brown sugar together in a heavy bottomed, medium-sized saucepan. Add the milk and stir well until well combined but not foamy. Cook gently over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the custard thickens. Next, whisk in the beaten eggs, and the vanilla. Again, stir constantly until the custard thickens, then pour it evenly over the pastry in the baking pan. Cover the hot custard with the other pastry layer immediately. Refridgerate until cold.

For icing, put the icing sugar and butter in a bowl. Stir in small amounts of lemon juice or passionfruit pulp until you get icing of spreadable consistency. Ice the top layer of pastry and leave it to set. Cut into squares using a sharp knife.

Serve: from the refridgerator, with coffee or tea, or fo dessert. Store sqaures which are not eaten the day they are made in the refridgerator and eat within the next two days; if they last that long!!!