Vanilla slice basic

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

  1. Preheat oven on hot air humid, 220c or convection fan force at 220c with low or 30% steam.
  2. Line baking paper on a tray, place puff pastry sheet on top.
  3. 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)
  4. Bake for about 20 mins until pastry turns light brown. Let cool.
  5. Whip cream with vanilla and a little icing sugar
  6. 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
  7. 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.

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