Saturday, May 28, 2016

Weekend Cooking: Vanilla Slice with Passonfruit Glaze

So we're just going to pretend like this isn't my first post in 9 months. We're going to pretend that in the last 9 months I haven't been to America and New Zealand, that I haven't been in a relationship for the first time in 15 years and then not been in a relationship any more, we're going to pretend that I have been posting all about all of these things. Oh, and I am going to pretend that I have been reading lots and lots of books.

Now that we are all caught up, I thought I would share a recipe for one of my absolute favourite things to eat....when it is done well. Over the years I have had some amazing vanilla slices, also known colloquially as 'snot blocks', but I have also had some pretty bland and tasteless slices with a plastic texture to the custard. A good vanilla slice is worth driving for miles for, and I may have taken a detour to small country towns that are famous for their vanilla slices once or twice!

I was kind of surprised when I saw this recipe in the current Diabetic Living magazine, and once I saw it all of a sudden I had an urge to actually try and make vanilla slice for the first time ever. And I have to say I am pretty damned pleased with myself. They turned out really well, and I ended up making it twice in five days! And I might make it again this weekend....maybe. (Edited to add, I have indeed made it again this weekend)

I also got lots of complements for it too which was nice. I was especially  pleased that the custard wasn't plasticky! It was light and creamy and tasty. Well done me!

This is actually a sponsored post, hence the specific brand name for the sweetener.

I would say that I didn't actually make the passionfruit glaze because I don't like passionfruit so I used the icing from another recipe, which I will include below. The first time I did only use the 9 biscuits but because my tin is slightly bigger I ended up using more biscuits the second time because otherwise the biscuits move round too much when you pour the custard over them.

Vanilla Slice with Passionfruit Glaze

 (Serves 18 apparently, or 9 big ones!!)

Cooking Oil Spray, to grease
18 lattice biscuits
1/2 cup custard powder
4 cups skim milk
1 cup Equal Spoonful
2 Tbspn vanilla extract
2 Tbspn fresh passionfruit pulp
1 Tbsnp cornflour
Extra1 Tbspn Equal Spoonful

1. Grease a 20cm square tin with cooking oil. Line base and sides with baking powder

2. Line base of the tin with 9 lattice biscuits in a single layer, leaving a 1cm border. Set aside.

3. Put custard powder in a medium saucepan and whisk in milk in two batches until well combined and smooth. Cook over a medium heat stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until mixture is very thick. Remove from heat and stir in Equal Spoonful and vanilla extract.

4. Pour into prepared tin. Spread surface to smooth. Top with 9 lattice biscuits in a single layer, leaving a 1cm border. Refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight or until set.

5. To make passionfruit glaze, put passion fruit pulp, cornflour and extra Equal Spoonful in a medium bowl and stir until combined. Cut slice into 9 squares, following biscuits as a guide then cut each squre in half to form triangles. Drizzle with passionfruit glaze and serve.


When I made the icing, I used 1 teaspoon of light margarine, 2 tbspn of skim milk and 1 cup of icing sugar and mixed until thoroughly mixed.I might try using a bit of lemon juice one time and see how that works!!

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. For more information, see the welcome post.

29 comments:

  1. Interesting how much is foreign to U.S.: lattice biscuits and custard powder. But as you say on Facebook, one can google and find equivalents. At any rate, it looks very good!

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    1. Traditionally you would make this with puff pastry instead of the biscuits. Might try that next time!

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    2. Traditionally you would make this with puff pastry instead of the biscuits. Might try that next time!

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  2. I'd love this if only I could get passionfruit pulp, custard powder, etc. But we live in a different world.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. It's funny what we think is commonplace but it really isn't in other places.

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  3. Heeeeeellllllllloooooooo!!! Glad to have caught up! (Actually I saw news of your trips on Facebook!). This sounds so good and I'm so happy you posted it. I'm sure I can find US equivalents for everything, and I too am not a passionfruit fan.

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  4. This dish is new to me but now I'm eager to make and taste it. I'll skip the passion fruit too. I like the sound of a lemony icing.

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    Replies
    1. I have thought about trying a lemony icing. Maybe next time.

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  5. This sounds delicious! I've had similar desserts but I don't think I've even really thought about making it. I definitely agree that there is a huge difference between bad custards and good custards but there's not much better than a good custard! I don't think we have the biscuits you mention here in the US but I know my grocery store sells custard powder and I saw where you mentioned puff pastry can be used as a substitute. I'll definitely be giving this a try though I think I'll probably leave off the passion fruit glaze as well.

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    1. I don't know why I hadn't thought about making it before either.

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  6. "...amazing vanilla slices, also known colloquially as 'snot blocks'..." :) A revolting term, and one I have never heard before. But it is exactly what I thought of them man years ago as a small kid when my Grandma used to make them. Didn't stop me finding them absolutely delicious!

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    1. It does sound disgusting to call it snot block but it is tasty!!

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  7. Now you've got me craving a custard square (which is what we call these). Have a great week. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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    1. Hope you had a custard square and you enjoyed it!!

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  8. Have never tried a vanilla slice. Sounds yummy! I like the idea of a passion fruit glaze, so if I made this recipe, I would try it! Welcome back. BTW. :)

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  9. Ha! I love your re-entry into blogging.

    Making the same recipe three times in a week? It must be good!

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    Replies
    1. It is!! NOt sure when I will make it again now, but soon.

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  10. Looks like a very tasty dessert. I'd be happy with either the passionfruit or lemon glaze. ;-)

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  11. Welcome back to Weekend Cooking and the blogosphere! Love your sense of humor about catching us up. I just made gluten-free pastry cream (or creme patisserie, as we always called it from the Joy Of Cooking recipe) for Boston Cream Pie and at first I thought it didn't thicken enough, but it was perfect for the layer cake (just ignore the word Pie in the name of this cake) and I was pleased with myself, too! Custard and I sometimes don't get along in the kitchen. I haven't ventured into sugarfree dessert baking yet, but your slice looks good!

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  12. I am a passionfruit fan so this recipe appeals to me.

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  13. I always have a relatively thick passion fruit syrup, which would make a perfect glaze. We have tons of the fruit, and love it, raw or cooked. Don't know about the custard, will have to find an equivalent for that powder.

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  14. Oh that sounds different! I think I would go with a regular icing/glaze too!

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  15. I love anything with passionfruit. when I was in France many of the desserts where passionfruit flavored.

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  16. I thought you just retired from blogging, as I think about throwing I. The towel now and again. It's good to see your linkup at BFR :-) I have to say, I love how you captured what's been going on in your life in that opening paragraph. We are caught up. I could eat some of this treat, love custard. Still howling over the term snot blocks. Lol

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  17. Welcome back! And what a year you've had Marg. I hope you are well and enjoying your cook-ups :-)

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