a fifo wife {fifo life: Bake it: Donna Hay Vanilla Slice}

Mondays is the day I bake and normally its cakes and biscuits. I don’t get too adventurous. I don’t want to set the expectations to high otherwise some may come to expect the unexpected more often. I like to live with the element of surprise. So the other day when this appeared in my face book feed I had to try it and so I did and I was impressed.  So much so we ate it all yesterday afternoon. It takes a little longer than what I normally like to spend baking but if you have the time do it, its worth it. It should be noted the above photographed are clearly not mine..I after all am trying to encourage for you to make and bake them..my images would may or may not come with a health warning..

•  375g ready-prepared puff pastry, thawed
•  icing (confectioner’s) sugar for dusting

•  1½ cups (375ml) milk
•  1½ cups (375ml) single (pouring) cream
•  60g butter
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•  2/3 cup (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
•  1/3 cup cornflour (cornstarch)
•  ½ cup (125ml) water
•  6 egg yolks

How to:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350ºF). Halve the pastry lengthwise and roll each piece out to a rectangle 2–3 mm (1/8 in) thick. Trim each piece to fit a 20cm x 30cm slice tin. Place the pastry on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Top each piece with another baking tray as a weight and bake for 35 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool on racks.To make the filling, place the milk, cream, butter, vanilla and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until hot but not boiling. Mix the cornflour and water to a smooth paste and whisk into the hot milk mixture. Add the egg yolks and stir, allowing to simmer, for 6 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Place one of the pastry sheets in a 20cm x 30cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Spread over the filling and top with the remaining pastry. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. To serve, dust with icing sugar and slice.

Makes 8 slices.