Vanilla slice as we know it. So versatile, so easy. Layers of flavours and textures using ingredients already in your pantry! It is an absolute go-to when you need a pastry pronto.
The ‘hardest’ part is baking a non puffy, puff pastry base, which is so easy when you have a combi steamer. So delicious..
Ingredients – base
Puff pastry sheet (get the best gourmet butter puff pastry from the frozen section)
Ingredients – filling
Fruits sliced or cubed (strawberries, plums, figs etc)
Whipping cream + 1 tbsp icing sugar and vanilla
Jam (strawberry or raspberry for color contrast or apricot depending on the fruit)
Toppings (toasted nut crumbs, crushed honey comb etc)
Method
- Preheat oven on hot air humid, 220c or convection fan force at 220c with low or 30% steam.
- Line baking paper on a tray, place puff pastry sheet on top.
- Cover pastry sheet with another sheet of baking paper and place another, same size pan on top of the pan (added weight to reduce puffing when baking)
- Bake for about 20 mins until pastry turns light brown. Let cool.
- Whip cream with vanilla and a little icing sugar
- Let pastry cool and slice pastry with a very sharp, non serrated knife or cookie cutters into assorted shapes (square, rectangle, triangle) to fit shape of fruit
- Spread jam in the middle, pipe butter cream on and top with a slice of fruit. Finish off with crunchy bit toppings and icing powder
Extra notes
Absolutely fine to bake puff pastry base a day before. Plastic wrap to seal air-tight. Reheat gently at hot air humid or convection fan force, 150c for about 8 minutes until surface fells crunchy before using and let cool to recreate the crunch.
This is a twist to traditional vanilla slices which are presented like sandwiches. Why clam a gorgeous topping? But go for it, in whichever way you prefer.
