Custard. Thick, creamy, sweet. Slabbed between two dainty sheets of flaky puff pastry. Eaten with a fork. This is a vanilla slice, an Australian cake institution, derived from the French mille-feuille, but oh so much better.
I have a weakness for vanilla slices, a weakness my beloved grandmother discovered while I was still a child, and diligently fostered with treats after school. Ever since, I’ve diligently sampled them far and wide, sometimes making pilgrimages to cafes of known vanilla slice awesomeness.
I’m not alone. Such is the obsession with vanilla slices in Australia that many country towns enter an annual competition to see who makes the best ones. The key component is the custard. Infused with vanilla, folded with whipped cream. The pastry is merely structural, an afterthought to hold it all together. It’s all about the custard.
So… I daresay you will not be surprised that it is often a vanilla slice to which I turn in moments of weakness, sadness, world-weariness. (Or sometimes I just can’t resist the sight of them — I’d be hard pushed to resist the one pictured!)
And if the guilt-monster starts attacking me? This is what I tell myself told myself today:
- Custard is mostly made from milk, which we all know is a fundamental food group. Plus milk contains calcium for strong bones.
- I need to break that $20 note to give change to the person who orders my coffee.
- The sooner I eat the vanilla slice, the sooner I can hide the evidence.
- Yesterday I ate a chocolate fondant, so it’s not as though I’ve been dieting recently.
- I walked 10 minutes to the shops and back, so I deserve it.
- There’s no point dieting until I start working out on a regular basis. So I might as well enjoy it…
What about you guys? Any sinful edible secrets you go to great lengths to rationalise? What’s the best excuse you can come up with?
E V Gregory 
Where did you find that one? The last one I had that looked that good was in Sorrento about 5 years ago.
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It’s in Woodend – fancy a road trip sometime?
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I just one of these this week after a long break, and it was oh so delicious.
I also just found out last year that they are commonly referred to as snot blocks, which was news to me, but does make a certain amount of sense.
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uurgh – not a fan of that term, for obvious reasons!
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Who came up with that name.. Not appealing name.. Although it looks decadent
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Oh wow, now I have another reason to go back to Melbourne. That photo looks amazing. My go-to guilty pleasure is a variation on chocolate ice cream. Chubby Hubby from Ben n’ Jerry’s is a fave…
😉
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mmm, to go with that coffee you mean? I’m a massive fan of ice cream as well, although it’s a bit different here. I don’t think I’ve ever had Ben n Jerry’s, although have heard about it for years!
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That looks delicious. I have an absolute weakness for all things custardy… If it came in a lemon variety, I’d be hooked.
I can’t buy Nutella because I end up eating it off the spoon (no lie) and when I am feeling really grouchy, my go-to is a toblerone bar. Or a G&T.
🙂
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Laird, snap snap snap and snap. On the subject of things custardy… Do you also love Chinese steamed custard buns? Omg yum.
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OMG STEAMED CUSTARD BUNS? I have never had one, but that sounds like HEAVEN!
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Oh yes, they are heaven. I’ve been known to eat three in a row… maybe four!
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My Australian Chef friend has sent me a recipe for the Vanilla Slice. Perhaps we can invent some sort of “Vanilla Slice Diet” so that I can make and eat this dessert and not feel guilty about it? Like…a Vanilla Slice for breakfast and lunch, and a reasonable dinner…and voila! weight loss!
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Lol! I’m looking forward to hearing how it goes when you make and then EAT them! Good luck!
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In literary terms, my diet is engaged in a conflict lock with my desire to eat custard based desserts.
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hahaha – love it!
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PS: What is on the top of the vanilla slice? Is it icing?
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Yes, either icing or sifted icing sugar.
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Oh my gosh, that looks good!
and, um, did you know that if cookies are broken, the calories don’t count?
🙂
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Kim, I LOVE that and will have to remember to break all my cookies in future…
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My guilty pleasure is a movie, big coke and a huge popcorn every Friday night. At least I’m making the Coke 1/2 diet now. Can’t watch a movie without my popcorn. Do you have a favorite recipe for Vanilla Slice? This is the first time I’ve ever heard of it. What is on top of it? Thanks for the post!
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Sounds like a great Friday night! Although for me it’s WINE (red) and perhaps chocolate.
Yes it’s icing on the top in that picture.
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Love custard, want one.
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I so wish you guys in the USA could have one!
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Shame, you sinful woman! This is beyond temptation! Considering that I give up sweets for Lent, I was a foolish bimbo for even coming so close to this post. And now it’s too late because I find myself wholly smitten by a treat that contains all the things I love most in a dessert. (Or mid-morning tidbit, afternoon pick-me-up, late night delicacy …)
And yet, as you said, the custard isn’t EXACTLY a sweet considering that milk is a main staple, and what good is a body that doesn’t have strong bones hauling it around …
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Oh dear, sorry for tempting you, Barbara! But it sounds as though they’re a bit hard to find in your part of the world. Shall I hold the recipe until after Easter?
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That picture makes me want to drive to the mall and search out one of those things. What an excellent national dessert. (In Canada, our national dessert is maple syrup.)
And Barbara – for Lent, Sundays don’t count . . .
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We have a few ‘national’ desserts I think. There’s pavlova of course (although the kiwis try to claim that). And I’ll have to introduce you all to chocolate ripple cake… (kind of like cookies and cream)…
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oh this is so weird. I just looked at my comment and it says “March 9th, 2012 at 11:10 am”
and here, in Canada, it’s March 8th at about 5:15 pm.
I’m talking to “tomorrow” !
And if you’re reading this, you’re travelling back in time . . .
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lol! Maybe Bill and Ted are there…in the future…
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Ah ha! Interesting to know how WordPress handles time zones.
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OMG, I need one of those! Can that thing travel by Fed Ex? I guess I’ll have to settle for a cone of my Edy’s Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, well … yogurt blend. It’s only 120 calories/half cup but the cones I make remind me of a famous building that’s been leaning for quite a few years 😛
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I’ve often wondered what key lime pie is… Let alone the ice cream! We don’t really have key lime pie here.
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They don’t make that here. I’m starting a petition to bring vanilla slices to my town. That looks yum-yum-yummy. And if you enjoy it, what’s a few thousand extra calories (I’d probably eat more than one; that’s how I came up with the thousands number). Thanks for the share. Any chance you have a recipe. My daughter is an amazing baker and is always looking for new things to make her mother fat. 😉
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Good luck with a petition – lol. I’m on the hunt for a good recipe and will share anon!
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Vanilla Slices – heaven – no excuses, but I do develop reasons why I have to eat one. And you can only eat one.
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Only one? Hmmm, I don’t know. I could probably eat more than one 🙂
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Bourkies do make a fine slice. There is one equally as nice across the road at the Woodend bakery as well. Regarding vanilla slices, I say why have one when you can have three?!. There are worse things to be addicted too. I even blog about the little custard beauties. vanillasliceofheaven.wordpress.com Catch you in Merbein on the 17th!
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A whole blog dedicated to vanilla slices? How delicious. There are definitely worse things to be addicted to. 🙂
I will go check out what’s on in Merbein – vanilla slice festival?
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Merbein holds the Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph. A country wide comp in search of the years best vanilla slice. It is the second year Merbein are holding the event, this year it’s on Saturday 17th August. I will be there will bells on!. http://www.merbeinvanillaslice.com
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Yeah, I looked it up. Yum! (Can’t go though…)
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That’s too bad. It’s a 6 hour plus drive from Geelong for me anyway, but I love a good road trip – I’m sure I can upload some yummy snaps from the day.
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Is there a recipe???? Would love to make it
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Hi Viviane – there are a gazillion recipes, but I haven’t ever made one. I just eat them. So can’t recommend recipe in particular. Sorry! Good luck. They are delicious.
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