Queen Fine Foods & Carême Pastry Vanilla Slice Baking Competition Winner

To coincide with Australia Day, the wonderful people at Queen Fine Foods approached us to run a joint Vanilla Slice Baking Competition. Open to bakers all across Australia, the entrants would be vying for a bakers dream of a prize, including a 1kg personalised jar of Queen Vanilla Bean Paste and a year’s supply of Carême All Butter Puff Pastry.

We were so impressed by the incredible entries and would like to thank everyone who entered.

And to the winner, Maelisa’s Kitchen – who baked this Summery Coconut, Peach and Lime Vanilla Slice – a huge congratulations!

Here’s Maelisa’s Vanilla Slice recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Cut 2 sheets Carême All Butter Puff Pastry in half. Place 2 pieces of pastry on baking trays lined with, baking paper, then place another sheet of baking paper on top of the pastry, followed by the remaining 2 sheets of pastry. Place a baking tray on top and bake for 15 minutes then drop temp to 180C and bake for 5 minutes. Line a brownie tray (27cm x 17.5cm) with baking paper lengthwise and widthwise, leaving an overhang on each end. Tip: store pastry in air tight container once cool.
2. Combine 250g caster sugar, 90g corn flour, 60g custard powder, 250ml milk, 250ml coconut cream in saucepan, whisk until smooth. Tip: pass through a sieve to remove lumps. Add a further 250ml milk and 250ml coconut cream. Stir on medium heat until mixture boils and thickens (at least 1 minute). Reduce heat to low, add 60g of butter (Tip: cut butter into cubes) and 2 teaspoons Queen Vanilla Bean Paste, whisk until combined. Remove from heat, whisk in 3 egg yolks.
3. Place pastry in base of lined tray. Spread evenly with custard. Place another piece of pastry on top, gently press down. Place in fridge to set.
4. Place 1 litre of water, 300g of caster sugar and 1 Queen Finest Vanilla Bean pod (cut and scraped) in a large saucepan, stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add 8 peaches (score bottoms with a small cross) in a single layer. Place a small plate (top side down) over peaches. Bring to boil, simmer gently for approx 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove from pan with slotted spoon. Cool, then peel peaches, cut in half and remove seed. Place flat side down on a tray and put in fridge to dry (Tip: do not pat dry – you want to keep the black specks of vanilla bean on peaches).
5. Mix together 225g icing sugar (sieved), 40ml of lime juice (Tip: if not enough juice make up difference with milk), finely grated rind of 1 lime and 1 teaspoon Queen Natural Vanilla Extract. Spread over third pastry sheet. Set in fridge.
6. Remove custard from fridge, arrange peach halves on top (5 rows of 3) and place iced pastry on top. Cut into 15 pieces to serve.

Tip: best eaten with hands and don’t worry if custard oozes and pastry crumbles!