Vanilla Slices for Australia Day

Happy Australia Day!  To celebrate today, I have made an Aussie classic - Vanilla Slices.  The recipe that I used is from a classic Aussie bakery - the More Secrets of the Beechworth Bakery cookbook.   Their vanilla slices are highly regarded - for a review, check out the Vanilla Slice Blog, or just search for them online.

As the recipe has not been published elsewhere, I am not going to share it here either, given that this is one of the Beechworth Bakery's signature bakes.  However, I will tell you that this vanilla slice is made using puff pastry top and bottom, with a custard made from cream and eggs and lots and lots of cornflour and custard powder to give it a nice yellow colour and a firm set.  I chose to make the optional passionfruit icing rather than plain pink icing - who wouldn't?

As an added extra for Australia Day, here is a picture of a lovely native parrot eating see from a bird feeder in my mother's backyard:

 

I realise that the Kiwis hate these invaders to their shores with a passion, but we appreciate them here.  They are so pretty, although they are very bossy and very noisy.

 

Wishing all Aussies, wherever they may be, a wonderful and relaxing Australia Day.