Super-sized vanilla slice

Super-sized vanilla slice
Equipment:   You'll need two 22cm-square cake pans for this recipe.                        

Ingredients

3 sheets frozen puff pastry, partially thawed

2 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 2/3 cups cornflour                            
1 1/2 cups vanilla custard powder                            
2 litres milk                            
125g butter, chopped
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Passionfruit icing

2 3/4 cups pure icing sugar, sifted

2 passionfruit

20g butter, melted

 

Step 1                            

Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Line 3 large baking trays with baking paper. Place 1 pastry sheet on each tray. Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden, puffed and cooked through. Cool slightly, then gently flatten pastry using your hands. Trim each sheet to a 21.5cm square. Cool completely.

 

Step 2                            

Meanwhile, grease two 6cm-deep, 22cm-square cake pans. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges of pans.

Step 3                            
Place half the sugar, cornflour and custard powder in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add half the milk, stirring constantly, until smooth and combined. Add half the butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture simmers and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in half the yolks and half the vanilla. Place 1 sheet of pastry in base of 1 prepared pan. Spoon hot custard over pastry. Top with a second pastry sheet.

Step 4
Place remaining sugar, cornflour and custard powder in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add remaining milk, stirring constantly, until smooth and combined. Add remaining butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture simmers and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining yolks and remaining vanilla. Place remaining sheet of pastry in the base of remaining prepared pan. Spoon hot custard over pastry in pan.

Step 5
Set pans aside for 30 minutes to cool. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until cold and firm.

Step 6
Make Passionfruit icing: Place icing sugar, passionfruit and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir over heat until smooth and combined. Remove from heat. Carefully turn pastry-topped vanilla slice onto a serving plate. Carefully turn remaining slice on top, pastry-side up. Spread with icing. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set. Serve.