Whilst this may be a classic French patisserie favourite, it isn’t necessarily as difficult as it looks.

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This recipe gives you an easy and convenient way to make a classic French vanilla slice.

Also known as a vanilla slice, a custard slice, Napoleon and even a mille-feuille – this is a great teatime treat.

What Do You Need?

For this French vanilla slice recipe, you will need a stand mixer or a mixing bowl with an electric hand whisk. You will also need a cake tin that measures approximately 20 cm by 20cm.

If you don’t have an Electric Hand Whisk, maybe it’s time to buy one? These are such incredibly useful small appliances. Click here for more information and prices.

To prepare the pastry sheets, you will need four baking trays and plenty of parchment paper.

To cut the slice into even squares, you will need a very sharp knife. A spatula will be useful when it comes to spreading out the custard layer and the icing.

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Tips And Tricks

This recipe gives you a quicker, more convenient way to make French vanilla slices than the traditional method.

Make sure you follow these tips and tricks to ensure that your slice is perfect every time.

Preparing the Pastry – When you cut your pastry sheets to size, it is better to make them slightly too big than too small. You can trim the edges off after they are cooked if need be, but if they are too small then the custard filling will spill down the edges and your slice will be a mess. Make sure that you weigh the pastry sheets down with the additional baking trays whilst cooking. If you don’t, they will puff up and you will have to start again.
Making the Filling – Make sure that you follow the instructions on the pack of vanilla dessert mix that you are using. Whisk the ingredients enough to thicken them, but do not over whisk.

Setting – Leave the slice to set in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. If you end up setting it for longer by accident then this is not a problem. The slice will be easier to remove from the tin and easier to cut if it has had plenty of setting time.
Cutting – When it is time to cut the slice into squares, make sure that your knife is very sharp. Otherwise, it will put too much pressure on the top and force the custard filling to spill out of the sides.

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How Can You Customise This Recipe?

This recipe is designed to give you the easiest way to make a French vanilla slice. There are a few changes you can make if you want to.

Scratch Cooking – If you prefer cooking things from scratch rather than using convenient methods, you could try making your own pastry. You could also make your own custard filling from scratch. It will need to be thicker and more set than regular custard in order to hold its shape.
Flavour – This recipe uses a classic vanilla custard flavour filling. However, you could experiment with different fillings by using different dessert mixes. Butterscotch, banana, chocolate or strawberry would all work well. If you are making your own custard filling from scratch, you could flavour it using various extracts like vanilla, orange, lemon, almond or whatever you fancy.

Colour – White or pink icing is traditional but you can use whatever food colouring you want.

If you’re after an indulgent, but easy to make dessert, see our recipe for Toblerone Cheesecake

French Vanilla Slice Recipe

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Recipe by Dylan Cole Course: DessertCuisine: Home Baking/Patisserie

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

632

kcal

Ingredients

2 sheets 2 Frozen Puff Pastry
2 packs 2 Vanilla Dessert Mix

600 ml 600 Thickened Cream
0.66 ml 0.66 Full cream milk
1.5 cups (plus extra for dusting) 1.5 Icing sugar

15 g 15 Butter
1.5 tbsp 1.5 Boiling Water
2-3 drops 2-3 Food Coloring (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees fahrenheit. Prepare a 20cm by 20cm cake tin by lining it with parchment paper. If you leave some parchment paper sticking out from the side then it will make it easier to remove the slice afterwards.
Take the two sheets of frozen puff pastry. Cut each one so that it is about the same size as the tin and will fit inside. The two sheets of pastry need to be the same size.
Prepare two baking trays by greasing them and lining them with parchment paper. Place one of the pastry sheets on each tray, and then cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Place another baking tray on top of each one to keep them nice and flat.

Bake both pastry sheets in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have turned golden brown in color. Allow them to cool, then remove them from the baking trays. Place one sheet of cooked pastry in the bottom of the prepared cake tin. If it is a little too big then trim the edges as needed.
Next, you need to make the custard filling. Combine the vanilla dessert mix with the thickened cream and the full cream milk. Whisk the ingredients together in a bowl until they have formed a nice thick, smooth consistency.
Pour the custard filling over the pastry sheet in the cake tin. Use the back of a spoon to spread the filling and make sure that the surface is nice and even. Place the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the custard filling. Press down gently to evenly distribute the custard.

Place the cake tin in the refrigerator for half an hour to allow the custard filling to set. Just before you remove the cake tin from the refrigerator, you can make the icing.
Combine the icing sugar, butter and half of the boiling water. Whisk the ingredients together. If you are using food coloring, add it now. If the icing is too thick, keep adding the water gradually until it becomes runny enough to be poured.
With the slice still in the cake tin, pour the icing over the top. Use a butter knife or a spatula to spread the icing out evenly and make it smooth. Return the cake tin to the refrigerator for another half an hour to set the icing.

Once the icing is set, remove the cake tin from the refrigerator. Carefully transfer the vanilla slice from the cake tin onto a plate or chopping board. Use a very sharp knife to cut the vanilla slice into 9 equal pieces. Dust with additional icing sugar if you want to.

Author
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Dylan Cole

When it comes to great places to eat in Australia, the list really is endless. There are so many different restaurants, cafés, and chains to try that you really are spoiled for choice. From Italian food, to Japanese food, to a good ‘ole rump steak, the food options are endless.

This is why I decided to set up my blog, Eatability, to share the best food and drink spots in Australia with as many people as possible. Hi, my name is Dylan Cole, and I moved to Australia five years ago from England, UK.

Through this blog, I will be sharing and recommending some of my favorite places you need to visit, such as where to find the best pizza in Adelaide, and the best bakery in Brisbane. Whatever food you are fancying, I have got you covered!