Summer Custard Slices

Custard slices...show me a kid who does not like them! I certainly cannot resist them, I find myself standing at the bakery section in the supermarket, totally mesmerized by the rows and rows of confectionery, but mostly the custard slices.After all, what on earth could possibly be yummier than thick custard sandwiched together by thin crispy puff pastry and then for me the pièce de résistance, the lemony icing sugar layer on the top. Don't think for one minute that this is a new craving for me, I remember that even as a child, I had very little resistance to these delicious treats. Little did I know just how easy it would be to make them.......

A bowl of warm thick custard is definitely my winter-pick-me-up treat, but in summer I am frankly to hot and bothered to make or bake warm desserts. A meal without dessert is to me a waste so I simply have to make other plans. As I have said in previous posts, with a few boxes of instant custard and instant pudding, I can make quick and easy desserts in now time and my precious holiday time could be spent with family and friends in stead of in the kitchen. These delicious custard slices can be made with instant(box) custard as well as custard that you've made from scratch. I will give you both recipes.



Summer Custard Slices



1 Roll puff pastry - thawed

egg wash made with 1 egg

1/3 cup  custard powder

2 cups milk

¼ cup caster sugar

3 tbsp greek yogurt



1 cup icing sugar

1 passionfruit, halved - or use tinned pulp

 or

1 lemon - juice and zest





Combine custard powder and ¼ cup pf milk in a saucepan. Whisk until the mixture is lump-free. Pour in the remaining milk. Add the sugar and place pan over medium heat. Cook while stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until custard comes to the boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover surface of custard with plastic wrap. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool slightly. Fold in the greek yogurt. You can omit this, but I do believe it made the custard richer but lighter all at the same time!

Preheat oven to 200C. Roll open the puff pastry and slice into even sized blocks, Mine was 4 x 6cm.  Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden and puffed up. When it has cooled slightly, take a sharp pointy knife and split each block in half. Spoon some custard filling onto one half and place the other half on top.

Sift icing sugar into a small bowl. Add some of the  passionfruit pulp and stir to make a thick spreadable icing. Add more pulp if necessary. Spoon the icing over each slice. Place in fridge for 1 hour or until icing sets.





The Instant Custard Version