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Vanilla Custard Slice Recipe

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This Vanilla Custard Slice is a classic dessert featuring layers of crispy puff pastry filled with a smooth, creamy vanilla custard and topped with a sweet icing glaze. This recipe yields a delightful treat perfect for afternoon tea or special occasions, offering a satisfying combination of flaky texture and rich custard flavor.

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 2 sheets puff pastry (thawed)

Custard Filling

  • 65 g (½ cup) custard powder
  • 610 g (2 ½ cups) milk
  • 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar

Icing

  • 500 g (2 ½ cups) icing sugar mixture
  • 50-75 g (4-5 tablespoons) water (see notes)
  • 1-2 drops pink food colouring (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare pastry: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan-forced). Place the thawed puff pastry sheets on flat baking trays lined with baking paper. Prick holes all over the pastry with a fork to prevent puffing.
  2. Weight and bake pastry: Place an extra sheet of baking paper on top of each pastry sheet, then place another baking tray on top to act as a weight. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Once baked, cool completely on a wire rack.
  3. Trim pastry sheets: Position a 20cm square baking tin on the cooled pastry sheets and use a serrated knife to carefully trim the pastry to fit the tin’s size.
  4. Prepare baking tin: Grease and line the 20cm square baking tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Place one trimmed pastry sheet in the base of the tin and set aside.
  5. Make custard filling: In a saucepan, mix custard powder with ¼ cup of the milk until dissolved. Add the remaining 2 ¼ cups of milk and caster sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking continuously for about 5 minutes until it starts thickening. Once boiling, continue whisking for another 2 minutes until very thick. Cover with cling wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin forming and let cool for 20 minutes.
  6. Assemble custard layer: Spread the cooled custard evenly over the pastry sheet in the baking tin. Top with the second trimmed pastry sheet.
  7. Prepare icing: Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add pink food colouring if using. Add water one tablespoon at a time, stirring until you achieve a smooth, spreadable icing paste.
  8. Ice the slice: Spread the icing evenly over the top pastry layer. Refrigerate the slice for 3-4 hours, ideally overnight, to set the icing properly.
  9. Serve: Before cutting, score the top pastry sheet gently with a small serrated knife. Use a large, flat knife to press down firmly and cut the slice into 9 servings.

Notes

  • The weight on the pastry while baking prevents it from puffing excessively, maintaining a flat crust perfect for layering.
  • Covering the custard with cling wrap while cooling prevents a skin from forming on top, ensuring a smooth custard layer.
  • The water quantity for the icing can be adjusted to achieve the right consistency; too much water will make it runny, too little will make spreading difficult.
  • If desired, use pink food colouring to give the icing a subtle tint, adding a decorative touch to the dessert.
  • Allowing the slice to chill overnight improves slicing and flavor melding.

Find it online: https://cookedbygrace.com/vanilla-custard-slice-recipe/