Vanilla Slice
Makes 9 Servings
2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry
1 quantity creme patissiere
Passionfruit Icing:
1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
2 passionfruit
1 tsp butter
1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line 2 oven trays and a 22cm deep square cake tin with baking paper. Thaw pastry. Place 1 pastry sheet on each tray, and bake for 15 minutes or until well risen. Flip sheets and cook for 5-6 minutes. Place trays on a cake cooler and, when pastry is cool, press down gently on the sheets with your hand.
2. Trim the pastry so it fits inside the tin. Put 1 sheet on the bottom of the tin, cover with creme patissiere and top with other pastry sheet. Spread with Passionfruit icing, refrigerate for several hours, cut into 9 slices and serve.
3. To make Passionfruit icing: Put icing sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add passionfruit pulp and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is well combined.
Creme Patissiere
Makes 3 Cups
1 vanilla bean
3 cups milk
2/3 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
2/3 cup plain flour
1. Cut the vanilla bean almost through lengthways. Pour the milk into a medium heavy-based pan and add the vanilla bean. Place the pan over a medium heat and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat and stand for 5 minutes.
2. Put the sugar and yolks in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture pales. Add the flour and stir until well combined. Strain the milk and gradually add it to the flour mixture. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Strain the mixture into the pan.
3. Place the pan over a low heat and stir continuously until the mixture comes to the boil, then boil for 1 minute. Remove custard from the heat and pour into a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or baking paper and leave until custard is firm.