Custard Sq. with Selfmade Puff Pastry
The right custard sq. recipe – sheets of crisp do-it-yourself puff pastry sandwich a creamy wealthy vanilla bean custard. The entire thing is then loaded up with a vanilla bean icing. Custard Slice is a scrumptious tackle a basic New Zealand childhood favorite.
Custard Sq. with Selfmade Puff Pastry
Hello! Simply popping in to share this recipe with you for Custard Sq.. Typically additionally known as Vanilla Slice in Australia, Custard sq. is 2 layers of puff pastry, surrounding a creamy, clean custard. The entire thing is then topped off with a vanilla bean icing. It is a New Zealand Traditional, and one thing I all the time used to get from the bakery rising up. Making custard slice from scratch takes a bit of extra effort, however it’s so, so value it. Whether or not to you it is a custard sq., a custard slice, or a vanilla slice recipe, it is simply the most effective.
Elements of a Custard Sq.
Custard sq. is usually a wee bit labour intensive, however it’s all the time, all the time value it, and that i’ll pop just a few shortcut steps alongside the best way that will help you out!
- Puff Pastry – I used a recipe from my pal Erin’s e-book to make puff pastry from scratch, however you are able to do a tough puff, or you need to use storebought pastry too. I will add in suggestions within the FAQ part!
- Custard Filling – The filling of a custard sq. is a wealthy, creamy, set vanilla bean custard. I used custard powder for mine which I get on-line or generally can discover in grocery shops within the US. I take advantage of it very often in recipes that decision for custard!
- Vanilla Icing – You possibly can both ice these with a easy vanilla icing, or you may skip it and end these with a little bit of powdered sugar if you need.
What’s Custard Powder?
Custard Powder is analogous to what’s used to make prompt pudding right here within the states. It’s corn starch based mostly, then makes use of different flavours and thickeners. The style is tremendous nostalgic so I used it in these custard squares. You possibly can seize some on-line – I take advantage of it to make my Nanaimo Bars too! If you cannot discover it’s best to be capable of sub corn starch. I have never tried it nevertheless it ought to work simply tremendous.
Easy methods to Break Up the Workload for Custard Sq.
Selfmade Custard Slice is a bit of labour intensive in case you select to make your personal puff pastry, however right here is an effective solution to do it if you need to interrupt up the workload:
- Day one – make the puff pastry, wrap tightly and retailer in a single day within the fridge.
- Day two – Bake the puff pastry sheets, make the custard filling, assemble the custard sq., and chill in a single day.
- Day three – End off custard sq. with icing and serve.
Alternatively you are able to do day two and three all in at some point – the custard sq. wants about 4 hours to arrange and chill down within the fridge.
Puff Pastry vs Tough Puff Pastry
I used a do-it-yourself puff pastry for these custard squares. It’s a little labour intensive however when you get the hold of it, it’s tremendous enjoyable and easy to make. The recipe comes from my pal Erin’s e-book (she has a brand new one out VERY quickly and it is wonderful), and you’ll watch a fantastic video right here of her making it. The puff pastry recipe right here makes sufficient for 2 batches of the custard squares, so you may retailer some pastry wrapped tightly within the freezer for an additional time.
I have never tried this recipe with tough puff, however I’m positive that it might work simply tremendous! Tough puff pastry is made by simply incorporating the butter into the pastry after which performing folds, somewhat than locking in a butter block such as you do with a conventional puff pastry. Erin additionally exhibits that recipe in the identical video! (Skip to about 22:30 for it!, and do 1 ½ or double the recipe. You want 700g pastry approx for this recipe)
Steps for rolling out Puff Pastry.
There are just a few steps for making puff pastry. It does take some time however the precise fingers on time is not too dangerous – simply numerous chilling time!
- Make the dough, and make the butter block, and chill each down.
- Roll out the dough and ‘lock in’ the butter block
- Carry out 4 folds (defined within the recipe)
- #1: 4-fold flip
- #2: 3-fold flip
- #3: 4-fold flip
- #4: 3-fold flip
- Then the pastry will get rested within the fridge till it’s baking time, or saved within the freezer till you might be prepared!
Easy methods to make small batch custard sq.
I examined a small batch custard sq. with this recipe and it labored simply nice. I used a 9×5″ loaf pan and labored out portions wanted utilizing my pan dimension calculator. I did 0.56x the recipe wanted and simply calculated it that method. As a substitute of scaling the egg I simply did one egg and one yolk.
Filling portions for a 9×5″ loaf pan are:
- 405g entire milk
- 265g heavy cream
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 40g custard powder ( I upped this just a bit because it may have been a tiny bit firmer)
- 112g sugar
- 1 egg plus 1 yolk
- 40g unsalted butter
For the icing:
- 210g powdered sugar
- 25g unsalted butter
- pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- entire milk to combine
Please be aware that these are simply the portions that labored for that precise pan! The custard layer was a teeny bit thicker however labored nice. The benefit of this recipe is that you may simply pop additional custard into one other bowl and have with among the pastry scraps!
Custard Sq. with Retailer Purchased Pastry
This could completely be made with retailer purchased pastry – I examined it lately and it labored simply tremendous. Simply guarantee that you’ve got rolled out the pastry sufficient to account for any shrinkage when it bakes. You have to about 700g of pastry for a full batch of custard sq.. After I examined it with the small batch I used a 500g packet and had a bit of left over / in all probability may have rolled it a bit of thinner. It’s a lot better to have a bit of an excessive amount of pastry than not sufficient! Watch the bake time as it could be completely different with a distinct pastry – mine was finished in 35 minutes then I gave it an extra 5 minutes with the highest tray off. To make use of retailer purchased pastry, comply with the steps from 12-16 for the pastry recipe.
Often Requested Questions on Custard Sq.
Can Custard Sq. be made with retailer purchased pastry?
You possibly can completely use retailer purchased puff pastry on this recipe. – you’ll need about two sheets. Simply be sure that it’s rolled out to a sq. about 12″x12″ so that you’ve got sufficient to fill the tin – it shrinks loads when baked. I do encourage you to attempt making your personal – I promise it’s a lot much less scary than it seems to be!Add picture
How lengthy does this take to relax?
It wants AT LEAST 3-4 hours to relax. You want the custard to be fully set and chilly proper all through. In case you reduce into it earlier than it’s correctly chilled, you are going to have a nasty time.
Easy methods to do you retain the pastry good and even when making it?
I discovered that when making my very own pastry, obsessively squaring off the perimeters helped, together with measuring the temperature of the butter and the dough earlier than I began the folds to make sure that they have been an identical temperature.
What’s one of the simplest ways to neatly reduce custard sq.?
Use a bread knife. Gently noticed the highest layer to chop by means of, then you may reduce by means of the remainder of the custard sq.. It might sound wobbly, but when your bread knife is sharp, you can be tremendous.
For extra Custard Recipes, Try:
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Solutions to your baking questions
Over time, a lot of you could have requested me questions on:
I’ve curated and answered all of them on your simple reference on this continuously requested questions publish!
Recipe for Custard Sq.
Custard Sq. with Selfmade Puff Pastry
Prep Time: 5 hours
Prepare dinner Time: 45 minutes
Whole Time: 5 hours
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Class: Baking
Delicacies: New Zealand
Description
The right custard sq. – sheets of crisp flaky pastry sandwich a creamy wealthy vanilla bean custard. The entire thing is then loaded up with a vanilla bean glaze. This can be a scrumptious tackle a basic New Zealand childhood favorite.
Puff Pastry – Butter Block
- 450g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 70g Bread Flour
Puff Pastry – Dough
- 400g bread flour
- 200g All-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp tremendous sea salt
- 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste (elective)
- 290g cool water
Vanilla Bean Custard
- 720g entire milk
- 480g heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- pinch of Salt
- 65g custard powder
- 200g sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 70g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Vanilla Bean Icing
- 375g powdered sugar, sifted
- 45g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- entire milk to combine (just a few tablespoons)
Directions
PUFF PASTRY
- Reduce a bit of parchment paper so it measures roughly 13 x 18 inches. (I take advantage of pre-cut sheets that are this dimension). Place with the brief aspect going through you.
- In a medium bowl, place the butter and flour. Combine vigorously utilizing a silicone spatula. Unfold onto the underside third of the parchment paper, and use an offset spatula to unfold right into a rectangle 6″x9″, and ½” thick. Fastidiously sq. off the perimeters. Wrap within the parchment paper, and place within the fridge to agency up.
- Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the bread flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Add the butter and vanilla, and blend on low till the butter is totally integrated into the combination. Add the water, and blend till a dough kinds, 5-6 minutes. Improve the pace, and blend on excessive for 2-3 minutes till clean.
- Prove onto a bit of plastic wrap, and pat right into a rectangle along with your fingers. Wrap within the plastic and relaxation within the fridge for 40-50 minutes.
- As soon as the butter and the dough are an identical temperature (16˚c / 60˚f to 21˚c / 70˚f), take away each from the fridge. On a evenly floured floor, roll the dough out to a rectangle 12″ x 10″, taking time to fastidiously measure, and squaring off the perimeters utilizing a bench scraper if needed. (This can make doing the folding a lot, a lot simpler). Orient the rectangle in order that the brief aspect is going through you.
- Utilizing the paper as a information, peel again half of the parchment on the butter, and place on the underside half of the dough, leaving a ½” margin across the edges. Fold the highest half of the dough down over the butter block, urgent firmly across the edges to seal, and tuck any extra dough beneath the block. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment, and relaxation within the fridge for roughly half-hour.
- Flip #1: 4-fold Take away the dough from the fridge, and unwrap. On a evenly floured floor, roll out to a ½ inch thick rectangle that’s 13″ broad and 19″ lengthy. Whether it is too heat and is changing into sticky, return to the fridge for a bit of extra relaxation time. Whether it is too onerous, permit to sit down at room temp to melt a bit of. half-hour labored properly for every relaxation time for me. Sq. off the perimeters. Flip the dough so an extended edge is going through you. Take the left fringe of the dough, and fold ¾ of the best way throughout the dough, lining up the perimeters. Fold the fitting edge to satisfy the left, about ¼ of the best way throughout. Fold the dough in half, left aspect over proper. Switch to the baking sheet, brush off additional flour, and canopy with plastic wrap. Relaxation for an additional half-hour.
- Flip #2: 3-fold Take away the dough from the fridge. On a evenly floured floor, repeat the rolling course of – roll to 13″ x 19″, and sq. the perimeters. Flip so an extended edge is going through you. Fold the left aspect of the dough ⅓ of the best way throughout, then fold the fitting aspect of the dough over the left (so you could have 3 layers of dough). Place on the baking sheet, brush off flour, cowl and refrigerate. Relaxation for half-hour.
- Flip #3: 4-fold Repeat the method for a 4-fold as defined above, taking care to sq. the perimeters. Cowl and relaxation for half-hour.
- Flip #4: 3-fold Repeat the method for the primary 3-fold. That is your ultimate fold. Roll out, sq. off, and repeat the directions for a 3-fold above. Cowl, and relaxation for no less than half-hour or as much as in a single day.
- At this stage the dough is prepared for use – reduce in half, and retailer the dough both wrapped tightly within the fridge (you’ll use one half for the custard sq. and you’ll hold the remaining for an additional challenge), or within the freezer.
- To make the pastry sheets, preheat the oven to 180c / 350˚f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Take 700g of the ready pastry (one half of the recipe above), and divide the piece into two. Wrap half in plastic and place within the fridge till wanted – you’ll do that in two batches.
- On a evenly floured floor, roll out the primary piece of pastry right into a sq. that measures 11″ sq. – this enables for shrinkage. Place onto the ready baking sheet, and high with a second piece of parchment paper, then place a second baking sheet on high, to assist forestall rising.
- Put together the second piece of pastry the identical method. Alternatively in case you should not have sufficient baking sheets you may bake these separately and simply repeat the method twice.
- Place the baking sheets within the oven, and place one thing heavy comparable to a forged iron skillet on high of the second baking sheet. Bake the pastry for roughly 40 minutes, switching half method by means of, or till golden brown. Take away the highest baking sheet, and parchment paper, and bake uncovered for an extra 5 minutes. Enable to chill barely on the baking sheet, earlier than transferring to a wire rack to chill fully.
- Utilizing a pointy knife and the tin you might be planning on utilizing as a information, trim the pastry squares in order that they’re the identical dimension as your tin (I used a 9″ sq. tin). Put aside till able to assemble.
VANILLA BEAN CUSTARD
- In a big heavy bottomed saucepan, place the milk, cream, vanilla paste and salt. Warmth over medium warmth, till it is extremely sizzling to the contact and simply shy of a simmer.
- In the meantime, whereas the milk is heating, place the custard powder and sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk to mix. Add the eggs, and whisk till properly mixed and barely pale in color.
- As soon as the milk combination has heated, take away it from the warmth, and, whisking continually, pour half of it into the egg combination. Whisk properly to mix, earlier than including the remainder of the milk and whisking very properly. Wash and dry the saucepan, and return to the range. Pressure the combination again into the saucepan, and place over low to medium warmth. Prepare dinner for 10-Quarter-hour, whisking continually, till the custard could be very thick. Take away from the warmth and add the butter a small piece at a time, whisking to include earlier than including the subsequent piece.
- Use instantly for meeting.
ASSEMBLY
- Line a 9″ sq. tin with two sheets of baking paper, extending over the edges of the tin to behave as a ‘sling’. Place the primary piece of puff pastry within the backside of the tin, trimming barely to make it match if wanted.
- Pour the new custard excessive of the puff pastry, and clean with an offset spatula. Place the second piece of pastry on high, urgent down evenly to make sure there aren’t any air bubbles. Cowl the tin with plastic wrap, and place within the fridge to set for no less than 3-4 hours, or as much as in a single day.
- As soon as the custard has set, fastidiously use the parchment paper to take away the custard sq. from the tin, and place on a chopping board or massive plate.
- Mix the powdered sugar, unsalted butter, and vanilla bean paste in a medium bowl. Add sufficient milk to achieve a spreadable consistency (I used simply over 3 Tbsp), or the specified consistency. Add extra in case you like a extra glaze-like icing and fewer if you need to make swoops in your icing.
- Unfold the icing over the floor of the custard sq., then place briefly within the fridge to permit the icing to set.
- As soon as the icing has set, reduce into 16 squares utilizing a bread knife which has been run beneath chilly water after which wiped. Use a cautious sawing movement. Serve instantly, or refrigerate till able to serve. Finest served barely chilly, on the day or the day after they’re made.
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge.
