Home Made Vanilla Slice

Photo: Oscar's Mum

Ingredients

2 butter puff pastry sheets, thawed

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1 cup castor sugar

3/4 cup cornflour (wheaten)

1/2 cup Orgran custard powder

1 litre milk

60 grams butter

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

For the icing:

1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon butter

2 small pear halves in syrup, drained and pureed

1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 210 C. Line a square container roughly the same size as the pastry sheets (23 - 24 cm) with aluminium foil, leaving an overhang on the sides.

Place each pastry sheet on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, then bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Flatten with an egg flip and set aside to cool.

Combine the sugar, cornflour and custard powder in a pan and gradually (very slowly) add the milk, stirring until smooth. Simmer for about 3 minutes, until it thickens, then stir in the butter. Remove from the heat when smooth and thick and stir in the egg yolks and vanilla.

When the pastry is cool, place 1 sheet cooked-side up in the bottom of the lined container, trim to fit if required.

Pour the custard over the pastry and set aside to cool slightly before placing the second pastry piece on top, cooked side up.

To make the icing combine the icing sugar, butter and milk in a bowl. Place the bowl in a shallow bath of hot water and mix until the butter has melted. Stir in the pear until well-combined. Spread the icing over the top pastry sheet. Put in the fridge for at least 8 hours to set.

Remove from the pan and cut into squares with a hot knife.