Vanilla Slice is the Australian bakery classic — a thick layer of vanilla custard sandwiched between two sheets of crisp, flaky puff pastry, dusted with powdered sugar or topped with icing. Found in every Australian bakery alongside the meat pie and the sausage roll, it is the sweet counterpart to the savory bakery cabinet, the afternoon treat with a cup of tea.
The Vanilla Slice (sometimes called a 'snot block' in Australian slang, for its texture) is the standard sweet item in every Australian bakery. It consists of a thick layer of vanilla custard (made with milk, sugar, cornflour, and vanilla) sandwiched between two sheets of puff pastry, then cut into squares and dusted with icing sugar or topped with pink icing (the traditional Australian touch). It is related to the French mille-feuille but is distinctly Australian in its thicker custard layer, its bakery-counter ubiquity, and the pink icing variation. Every Australian child knows it from the school canteen.
A square of crisp, shatteringly flaky pastry on top and bottom, with a thick, wobbly, sweet vanilla custard in between. The pastry flakes everywhere; the custard is smooth and rich. Bite carefully (it will squish); get all three layers in one bite. The contrast of crisp pastry and soft custard is the point. Eat it with a napkin.
The puff pastry must be baked until very crisp and dark gold (pale pastry goes soggy). The custard must be thick enough to hold its shape when the slice is cut (cornflour thickens it to a set, not a pour). The assembly is simple: one sheet of pastry, the custard spread on top, the second sheet on top. Chill until set, then cut with a serrated knife (sawing, not pressing).
Variations
Some top with pink icing (the traditional Australian style); some use passionfruit icing; some add a layer of jam; the custard thickness varies.
On the Palate
Where Vanilla Slice sits in the Australian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 9
How it's made
10 steps · 40 min active + 50 min waiting
- 115 min
Bake 2 sheets of puff pastry at 220°C for 15 minutes until deep gold and crisp; cool.
Watch outBake the pastry to a deep, crisp gold — pale, underbaked puff goes soggy the moment the custard sits on it.
- 25 min
Make custard: heat 500 ml milk with 1 tsp vanilla.
- 35 min
Whisk 80 g sugar, 50 g cornflour, and 3 egg yolks; gradually whisk in the hot milk.
- 45 min
Return to the pot; cook, stirring, until very thick (5 minutes).
Watch outCook the custard until it's thick enough to hold a firm mound on the spoon — too loose and the finished slice slumps and oozes when cut.
- 52 min
Off the heat, stir in 30 g butter.
- 63 min
Place one pastry sheet in a 20x20-cm dish.
- 73 min
Spread the custard over it; top with the second pastry sheet.
- 8240 min
Chill 4 hours until firmly set.
- 92 min
Cut into 9 squares with a serrated knife.
Watch outCut with a sawing motion of a serrated knife — press straight down and the custard squeezes out the sides and the pastry shatters.
- 101 min
Dust with icing sugar (or top with pink icing).
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