These easy custard slices are made from crispy puff pastry and filled with creme patissiere. I have been told that I should really call them ‘Angel Slices’ because they taste so divine!
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The best custard slice has …
- Layers of crispy light-as-a-feather puff pastry;
- A creamy filling of luscious creme patissiere;
- A dusting of icing sugar to finish it all off.
Seriously, that’s all you need to make these amazing puff pastry custard slices.
And once you’ve made these custard slices, the only problem is eating them, because if you don’t eat them properly, the lovely creme patissiere will squelch out of the sides and dribble down your chin!
After years of experimenting with different ways to eat these delicious morsels (it’s a job – someone has to do it), I’ve discovered that the only way to eat them is to pull them apart, to separate the top from the bottom, and eat them a layer at a time. It’s not very sophisticated, but it does ensure that you won’t lose even the tiniest bit of the creamy custardy filling!
Of course, you can be elegant and use a cake fork, but then the pastry would flake into crumbs and you’d end up making even more of a mess 🙂
The filling itself is similar to that used in my bee sting cake. If you enjoy these custard slices you might like to give that a try too.
What exactly is creme patissiere?
Creme patissiere really just means ‘pastry cream’ and is a thick egg-based custard that holds its shape. It is normally used for fillings in cakes and pastries.
Creme Anglaise on the other hand, while having similar ingredients to creme patissiere is a much thinner custard, and is used for pouring over cakes and desserts.
Ingredients for custard slices
***This recipe makes 21 custard slices. You can get the exact quantities and full instructions on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
You will need a roll of puff pastry. I always use store-bought puff pastry because it’s so easy to use. One roll will make 21 custard slices. If you prefer to make your own pastry, my friend Chloe over at Feast Glorious Feast has a recipe for homemade puff pastry that you might like to try.
Creme patissiere
These are the ingredients for the basic recipe. I’ve added some alternatives below if you want to change the f lavour.
- Egg yolks – you can save the egg whites and use them to make the meringue for this Eton mess dessert
- Sugar – for sweetness (this is a dessert after all 🙂 )
- Flour – for thickening the custard
- Cornflour (cornstarch) – also used for thickening along with the flour. Flour alone would make the custard a bit stodgy – the cornflour helps lighten it.
- Milk – the liquid component
- Vanilla extract or essence – vanilla extract is made from vanilla beans and has a much stronger flavour than vanilla essence which relies on more artificial flavours. If a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, you can substitute this with 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence. Likewise, if a recipe calls for vanilla essence, you can substitute with half the quantity of vanilla extract.
- Double or whipping cream – don’t think you can get away with single cream. No matter how long you beat it, single cream won’t thicken.
Optional flavours
- Replace 1 tablespoon of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to make lemon custard slices
- Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder along with the flour for chocolate custard slices
How to make custard slices
There are only a few simple steps:
- make the creme patissiere
- prepare and bake the pastry
- assemble the custard slices
Make the creme patissiere
This step should be done first to give the creme patissiere time to cool.
- Beat the egg yolks until they are pale yellow and frothy (image 1 above), then whisk in the flour and the cornflour or cornstarch (image 2 above).
- Bring the milk, sugar and vanilla extract to a boil and pour one-quarter of the milk into the egg and flour mixture (image 3 above). Whisk well to remove any lumps, then pour the egg back into the remaining milk. Keep stirring over a low heat until the mixture thickens. It should be very thick (image 4 above). This shouldn’t take longer than 5 minutes.
- Allow to cool then place into the refrigerator until chilled.
**Cover the surface of the custard with a layer of cling film or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the custard. Alternatively, sprinkle the custard with about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
- Once the custard has cooled, beat the double cream until it forms stiff peaks and then fold gently through the custard.
- Leave in the refrigerator until required.
Prepare and bake the pastry
You can do this step while the custard is chilling.
If you have bought a slab of puff pastry rather than a roll, or if you have made your own puff pastry, you should roll it out into a rectangle roughly 14″ x 10″ (26cm x 36cm). Otherwise, just unroll the store-bought puff pastry.
- Cut the pastry into 21 evenly-sized rectangles. You will probably find they will be about 2″ x 3″ (5cm x 8cm) large. I just cut it into 7 equal columns and 3 equal rows (image 1 above).
- Now take each rectangle and gently press all around the edges with your fingers (image 2 above). We do this so that when the puff pastry rises in the oven it forms a pillow shape as it rises – ie the centre of the pastry rises slightly more than the edges.
- Place each rectangle on a baking tray lined with baking parchment (on a silicone baking mat) (image 3 above). This prevents the pastry from sticking to the baking tray. You can place them quite close together – they do not spread very much when baking.
- Bake in a preheated oven (200C / 400F) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until well-risen and golden brown (image 4 above). Keep your eye on it after about 20 minutes – don’t let it get too brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Assemble the custard slices
- Cut the rectangles length-wise in half (image 1 above) and then spoon a generous amount of custard onto the bottom half (image 2 above).
- Gently place the top half of the pastry onto the custard (image 3 above) and dust the tops of the custard slices with icing sugar (or confectioner’s sugar).
- If you prefer, you could mix approximately 1/2 cup of icing sugar with cold water until it forms a smooth slightly runny paste (add the water slowly or you may end up with the paste being too runny) and use this to glaze the top of the custard slices instead of dusting with icing sugar.
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Freezing and storage
These custard slices are definitely best eaten freshly made.
However, you can freeze them in a rigid container for up to 4 months. I would freeze them without the dusting of icing sugar.
To use, let them defrost in the refrigerator and dust with icing sugar once they are fully defrosted.
You can also store them (in a covered container) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but they will start to turn soggy and become unappetising after that.
Pin for later
Why not pin this recipe for puff pastry custard slices to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily. Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Other recipes
If you enjoyed these puff pastry custard slices, you may like to try some of my other creamy dessert recipes:
- Fresh pear cream slice
- Easy lemon meringue pie
- No-bake pineapple icebox cake
- Boozy black forest trifle
- Citrus cheesecake with Greek yoghurt
- Peppermint crisp fridge tart
- Eton mess with microwave meringues
- Blackberry and apple pie
The recipe
Easy custard slices with puff pastry
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Ingredients
- 14 ounce / 395 grams frozen puff pastry defrosted
- 4 large egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons / 75 grams sugar
- 1½ cups / 360 ml milk
- 1½ tablespoons / 15 grams plain flour
- 1½ tablespoons / 12 grams cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup / 180 ml double or whipping cream
Instructions
Creme patissiere
- Beat the egg yolks until they are light and fluffy.4 large egg yolks
- Stir in the flour and cornflour. The mixture will be quite thick.1½ tablespoons / 15 grams plain flour, 1½ tablespoons / 12 grams cornflour (cornstarch)
- Heat the milk, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan until it just comes to the boil.6 tablespoons / 75 grams sugar, 1½ cups / 360 ml milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour approximately ¼ of the hot milk into the egg and flour mixture and whisk well to remove any lumps, then pour the milk and egg back into the rest of the hot milk in the saucepan.
- Whisk continuously over a low heat until the mixture thickens, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Whisk the cream until stiff peaks form, then mix it through the cooled custard.¾ cup / 180 ml double or whipping cream
- Leave in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Pastry
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C/400°F
- Unroll the pastry and cut into 21 evenly-sized rectangles (7 columns and 3 rows).14 ounce / 395 grams frozen puff pastry
- Now take each rectangle and gently press all around the edges with your fingers.
- Arrange the rectangles on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
- Place the baking tray in the pre-heate¼d oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is well risen and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Assembly
- Slice the cooled pastry rectangles lengthwise in half.
- Spoon a generous amount of custard onto the bottom half and gently cover with the top half of the pastry.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
- Store covered in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare 2021 week 2.
Loved this. The custard was so simple to make and will now be my go to.
That’s great to hear – glad you enjoyed it!
Super – thank you – came out a treat for all concerned! xx really yum.
Lovely – thanks for letting me know. They’re one of my favourite desserts to make when I’m in a hurry!
This recipe is excellent. I loved the custard. Instead of confectioner’s sugar, I put a tablespoon of marmalade on top of each pastry and some almond slivers stir fried in butter.
Wow, what a good idea – I love it. I think the marmalade will cut through the sweetness of the custard perfectly and the almonds will give a lovely crunch. Thanks for sharing that tip 🙂
Oh goodness me these are so divine looking, never attempted a custard slice before but you’ve inspired me to have a go, may even attempt to make one dairy free?
Ooh good luck. Let me know if you do and I can update the recipe for others to try 🙂
YUM! They look so good 😀
Thank you 🙂
They look absolutely wonderful! I adore custard slices and your versions look so tasty!
Thank you – I have to admit they get eaten very quickly at our house 🙂
These look absolutely scrumptious! Thank you SO much for linking up to the first #CookBlogShare of 2021. Karen
Thanks Karen – looking forward to lots more #CookBlogShare in 2021. VJ x
Ooh, yummy! These custard slices look so good – I bet they taste much better than the shop-bought variety. I didn’t realise they were so easy to make.
Hope you make them and enjoy them. They are really scrummy!!!!!