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Vanilla Slice

VANILLA SLICE PREP + COOK TIME 55 MINUTES (+ COOLING & REFRIGERATION) MAKES 16 PIECES

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed ½ cup (110g) caster sugar

½ cup (75g) cornflour

¼ cup (30g) custard powder 2½ cups (625ml) milk

30g unsalted butter

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup (180ml) thickened cream

PASSIONFRUIT ICING

1½ cups (240g) icing sugar 1 teaspoon softened butter ¼ cup (60ml) passionfruit pulp 1 Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan. Grease a deep 22cm square cake pan; line with foil, extending foil 10cm over sides of pan.

2 Place each pastry sheet on a separate greased oven tray. Bake for 15 minutes; cool. Flatten pastry with hand; place one pastry sheet in pan, trim to fit if necessary.

3 Combine sugar, cornflour and custard powder in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in milk until smooth. Add butter; stir over medium heat for 3 minutes or until mixture boils. Reduce heat; simmer for 3 minutes or until thick and smooth. Remove from heat; add egg yolk and extract. Stir to combine. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap; cool to room temperature. 4 Make passionfruit icing.

5 Beat cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks form. Fold the cream into custard, in two batches.

6 Spread the custard mixture over pastry in pan. Top with remaining pastry, trim to fit if necessary; press down slightly. Spread icing over pastry.

7 Refrigerate slice for 3 hours or overnight.

PASSIONFRUIT ICING

Place sifted icing sugar, butter and passionfruit pulp in a small heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water for 2 minutes or until the icing is smooth.