This vegan vanilla slice (or custard slice) is rather like the traditional bakery deal with however with NO dairy or eggs! It has a thick layer of creamy custard between two layers of puff pastry, and is topped with an elective icing.
Components you may want
Notes concerning the substances
Vegan-friendly custard powder. A number of mainstream custard powders are by chance vegan and do not include milk or egg powder! I used Foster Clarks custard powder (accessible from main supermarkets) which is partially sweetened. Different vegan-friendly manufacturers embrace Hen’s and the Woolworths model.
Alternatively, you should utilize corn starch (corn flour) and some different substances for the custard flavour (see the FAQ later on this submit).
Vegan-friendly puff pastry. A number of manufacturers of puff pastry are additionally by chance vegan! Simply examine the substances to ensure it would not include butter or animal merchandise.
Dairy-free milk. I like to recommend selecting any wealthy and creamy milk that you just take pleasure in consuming (for instance, soy milk or oat milk).
Spreadable vegan butter (or vegan margarine) provides richness to the custard. I examined this recipe with Nuttelex spreadable butter fairly than block butter as a result of it is extra accessible to folks in Australia and New Zealand. Any model of spreadable butter will work. Or use a vegan block butter for a firmer vanilla slice.
An entire checklist of substances, portions and directions are within the grey recipe card on the backside of this submit.
Getting ready the puff pastry
First, we have to bake the pastry for our vegan vanilla slice!
We do not need the pastry to puff an excessive amount of within the oven so I like to recommend baking it between two lined baking trays. The ultimate pastry needs to be crispy and golden.
I’ve tried baking the puff pastry simply on one baking tray and urgent it down afterwards. Nevertheless, it is messier and would not all the time flatten!
Subsequent, trim the puff pastry sheets to the scale of your baking pan. The simplest manner is to position your baking pan on high of your pastry. Then rating and minimize your pastry alongside the perimeters of your pan.
Some baking pans aren’t the identical dimension on the underside and high, so hold this in thoughts whenever you trim your pastry.
At this stage, I like to recommend lining your baking pan and inserting one sheet of puff pastry on the backside. When the custard is prepared, we have to transfer rapidly!
Make the vegan custard
The custard is straightforward to make and requires just a bit mixing!
Mix your custard powder, sugar and simply 1 cup of dairy-free milk to a big pot and blend till mixed. This step helps dissolve lumps in your powder and minimises any lumps in your ultimate custard! Add the remaining milk, butter and vanilla then place your pot in your stovetop.
Then prepare dinner till the custard is clean and thick. I like to recommend regularly whisking the custard to forestall the custard from burning and turning lumpy.
When is the custard prepared?
The custard is prepared when it thickens to a thick pourable consistency. It ought to thickly coat the again of a spoon and depart little ‘ribbons’ should you carry the whisk. This could take about 15-25 minutes, relying in your stovetop.
For those who’re unsure, prepare dinner the custard for a couple of minutes longer!
If there are lumps in your custard, don’t fret. Use a stick blender to mix the custard or rapidly pour it by a nice sieve. I like to recommend utilizing a stick blender as a result of it is faster and the custard units rapidly.
Assembling the vanilla slice
As soon as your custard thickens, assemble your vanilla slice as rapidly as attainable.
Pour your scorching custard into your baking pan and clean out the highest if wanted. Then press the remaining sheet of puff pastry on high. Put aside your vegan vanilla slice within the fridge for 4 hours or in a single day.
Ornament choices
I topped my vanilla slice with a easy dusting of icing sugar. For those who use icing sugar, it is best to chop the slice after which mud it.
Another traditional ornament choices are:
- Passionfruit icing (pictured)
- Pink-coloured icing.
For those who high your vanilla slice with icing, whenever you take away it from the pan, your vanilla slice could bend and trigger the icing to ‘crack’. To stop this, after you line your baking pan, place a sq. of cardboard on high then assemble the vanilla slice on high. The cardboard will assist the vanilla slice whenever you take away it.
Alternatively, you possibly can take away your vanilla slice from the baking pan THEN ice the highest.
Suggestions for reducing your vanilla slice
The simplest technique to minimize a vanilla slice is to make use of a sharp serrated knife and a delicate sawing movement. It will hold the pastry intact and will not squish the custard filling!
If you would like additional neat cuts, I like to recommend utilizing a serrated knife to solely minimize by the highest pastry layer. Then use an everyday sharp knife to chop by the custard layer and backside pastry layer.
Ingredient substitutions
Sure! Nevertheless, you may want so as to add a couple of different substances to imitate the flavour and color of custard.
Originally of cooking, I like to recommend including a pinch of turmeric (for color) and, should you like, black salt (for an eggy flavour). Turmeric’s color intensifies as you prepare dinner it so attempt to not add an excessive amount of. I additionally advocate growing the sugar to 1 cup (200g).
For additional richness and flavour, you may as well add soy or coconut milk powder, to style.
I do not advocate utilizing tapioca starch as it’ll make the custard slimy.
Sure, for a richer custard, substitute half of the milk with dairy-free pouring cream. It’s going to be extra much like the French vanilla slices from Australian bakeries (not a mille-feuille).
For those who do not thoughts the flavour of coconut, you may as well substitute a few of the milk with canned coconut milk.
Rice malt syrup and maple syrup will give the most effective flavour. Nevertheless, they’re liquid so will make a softer custard. Strive growing the custard powder to 1 ½ cups (170g). I have never examined this however I believe it’ll work.
Totally different flavours
This traditional dessert is ideal as it’s! Nevertheless, if you would like one thing totally different, you possibly can:
Make a vegan chocolate vanilla slice. Cut back the custard powder to 1 cup (115g), add ¼ cup (25g) cocoa powder and 100g chopped dairy-free chocolate to the custard.
Make a lemon custard slice. Substitute ¼ cup (65g) milk with ¼ cup (65g) of contemporary lemon juice, or to style. Or take a look at my vegan lemon blueberry bars!
You may as well use the custard to make a custard tart! Alternatively, take a look at my vegan custard tart and vegan egg tarts (Hong Kong model).
Extra bakery-style vegan desserts
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Vegan Vanilla Slice
This vegan vanilla slice (or custard slice) is rather like the traditional bakery deal with however with NO dairy or eggs! It has a thick layer of creamy custard between two layers of puff pastry, and is topped with an elective icing.
Servings: 16 small squares
Components
To brighten (see be aware 4 for icing choices)
Directions
Put together the pastry:
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Line 1 giant baking trays with baking paper (parchment paper). Place the 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry on the trays and permit to thaw. For those who can solely match one sheet of pastry in your baking tray, bake them after one another.
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Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F) if utilizing a convection oven. Or preheat to 180°C (350°F) if utilizing a fan-forced oven.
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Place one other sheet of baking paper on high of the pastry and one other baking tray on high. Bake the pastry for round 20 minutes or till golden and baked by.
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Permit the pastry to fully settle down.
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Use a pointy serrated knife to trim the pastry to slot in your baking pan. I used a 23 cm (9-inch) baking pan. Alternatively, it’s possible you’ll use a smaller baking pan reminiscent of an 8-inch (20cm). The custard layer of your slice will simply be thicker!
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Line your sq. baking pan with baking paper with some overhanging. Place one of many trimmed pastry sheets on the underside of your baking pan. Put aside.
Put together the custard and meeting:
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Add the custard powder and sugar to a big pot and blend till mixed. Add round 1 cup of milk and whisk till clean and there are not any lumps. Add the remaining milk, the spreadable butter and vanilla.
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Place the pot over medium-high warmth and prepare dinner the custard for 15-25 minutes whereas whisking continuously. When the custard has thickened, prepare dinner it for one more 3 minutes. The custard is prepared when it thickly coats the again of a spoon and, should you carry your whisk, the custard ought to fall into thick ‘ribbons’.
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In case your custard has any lumps in it, rapidly mix it with a stick blender or pressure it by a steel sieve. It will quickly make the custard runny, which is okay (it’ll thicken once more later).
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Shortly pour the custard into your baking pan on high of the pastry. If wanted, clean the floor. Place the remaining pastry sq. on the highest.
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Cowl and chill the vanilla slice within the fridge for 4 hours or ideally in a single day.
Reducing the vanilla slice:
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Take away the vanilla slice from the baking pan.
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Use a pointy serrated knife and a delicate ‘backwards and forwards’ sawing movement to chop the vanilla slice into squares or rectangles. Mud the vanilla slice generously with icing sugar.
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Take pleasure in instantly! Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3-4 days. The pastry will naturally soften over time. For those who dusted your slice with icing sugar, it’ll dissolve in a single day so I like to recommend dusting it once more.
Notes
- Many manufacturers of frozen puff pastry are by chance vegan as they include vegetable shortening as an alternative of butter. Nevertheless, double-check the substances of your pastry before you purchase it.
- Equally, many manufacturers of custard powder are by chance vegan. I used Foster Clarks custard powder however Hen’s and the Woolworths model additionally has a vegan-friendly custard powder. Double-check the substances to ensure it would not include milk or egg solids. Alternatively, you should utilize the identical quantity in cornstarch / corn flour. I like to recommend including a pinch of turmeric for color. Try the weblog submit for extra particulars.
- I examined this recipe with Nuttelex Buttery as it’s totally accessible in Australia. Nevertheless, you should utilize any spreadable vegan butter or a vegan block butter (for a barely firmer custard).
- For passionfruit icing, mix 2 cups (300g) icing sugar, 3 tablespoons (45g) passionfruit pulp and ¼ cup (60g) melted vegan spreadable butter. For a traditional pink icing, use the identical substances however dairy-free milk as an alternative of passionfruit pulp and add a couple of drops of pink or crimson meals colouring. Add extra sugar for a thicker icing or extra liquid for a runnier icing. When the vanilla slice has set, take away it from the baking pan then ice the highest. Chill it for one more half-hour then minimize and serve.
Vitamin
Serving: 1 slice with solely icing sugar | Energy: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 2g | Fats: 8g | Ldl cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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