The Vanilla Slice, aka the Snot block. As Aussie as the lamington or the pav.
People blog about them.
People compete about them.
People make travesties out of them. **Warning.. viewing the recipe in this link may cause some of you to vom**
People do television stories on them.
They are so iconic, people even do this to them.
There are more recipes online for Snot Blocks, that I've had... well... Snot Blocks.
Not for me, the rubberized, gelatinous mass sandwiched between two Sao Biscuits. I want the real deal. Flaky puff pastry, custard that's been whipped until it's fluffy. I am not a fan of VS's with cream between the custard and the top pastry. Makes 'em too hard to chow down on. I like my custard almost cheese cake-like.
Since I've been blogging, I haven't managed to get down to The Conti in Sorrento which, in my humble opinion, has the best VS's I've ever had. Vastly superior to the ones next door at Just Fine Foods, a Sorrento Bakery that proclaims itself to be the home of "The Best Vanilla Slice".
A few weekends ago, Furry and I ate a VS at Flash Duck, in Rosebud (for the full story, click here.)
And here, in glorious Technicolour, are their Vanilla Slices.
They're big. The pretty much fill the salad plate on which they're served.
I got mine nude (no cream or icecream)
The ratio of icing sugar was good. We all know what happens when you open your mouth to cram in a piece of VS and accidentally inhale some of the icing sugar on top. The coughing fit can last up to 2 hours. Believe me, I have seen icing sugar come out of people's noses after doing this. This is NOT GOOD, and can justifiable be called a Vanilla Thriller Killer.
The custard was lighter than the Conti version, a white wine custard whipped with cream, I suspect. This was a good thing, given the amount of food I'd already ingested. I didn't need any further artery-hardening, cheesecake rich dairy produce!!
According to the staff, they're made exclusively for the restaurant by a retired pastry chef in Red Hill.
Peakie allows me to take a photo of her "squish test",
Not the best VS I've ever had.. not the worst.
Get thee down to the Flash Duck and give one a go...
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6 comments:
funny how similar foodstuffs can evolve slightly differently across the tassie ... we call them custard squares and they usually have white vanilla icing on top, sometimes with a sprinkle of desecrated (:) ) coconut on top, but never with icing sugar. my grandmother used to make her own from scratch and they were divine, but i don't really go the storebought variety since i am not a huge custard fan.
The "best" custard squares sold in NZ, in the South Island at least, are from Denheath House, south of Timaru. Their reputation is such that they now sell them to outlets all over the place.
http://www.denheath.co.nz/
xx
sg
Apparently in the US they are called Napoleons - as I found out when the Vanilla Slice Blog got a backlink from a US baking website.
Had a dilemma this week. One of the Custard Crusaders brought a Vanilla Slice from his local in Parkdale and it was awful. Packet custard sandwiched in undercooked pastry - a shocker. Couldn't eat it. Now debating whether to write it up because it has an average score of five out of twenty I think.
Might go to Canterbury to try the Maling Road one this weekend instead. Got a tip off for one in Castlemaine this week in the blog.
Couldn't agree with you more. I hate the ones that are like rubber that bounce off the floor. Yuk! Heres to soft custardy goodness!!!!
Wrong indeed - that arnotts link is an absolute travesty! I have to admit that I love my vanilla slices, am yet to work up the courage to try making it myself though (puff pastry, it still terrifies me!)
Ellie, I certainly wouldn't bother with making my own puff pastry. Did It once in Home Ec. Never again. Use a good quality brand, and get the custard right and voila.. instant custardy-oozy-snot block goodness.
Personally, along side the Arnott's bikkies, I found the quick set pre-fab custard the scariest ingredient.
I love a good vanilla slice too. Must go and try this excellent one in Sorrento.
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