Custard Slices

Method

1. Line a large flat baking tray with parchment.

2. Preheat your oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6.

3. Roll the sheets of puff pastry until they are 2.5 mm in thickness.

4. Cut out 16 rectangles and place them on the baking tray.

5. Place the tray into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.

6. Remove it gently and lay a second sheet of parchment over the pastry rectangles. Place a second baking tray on top and weigh it down. I use two heavy cast-iron dishes.

7. Bake for another 15 minutes until the rectangles are golden in colour.

8. Remove from the oven and take off the weights. Once they are cool enough to handle, move the slices onto a wire rack to cool completely.

9. While your pastry is baking add the milk and vanilla to a heavy-based saucepan, bring to the boil then remove from the heat.

10. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks and cornflour.

11. Pour a little of the hot milk into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking continuously.

12. Whisk in the rest of the hot milk until combined, then return to the saucepan.

13. Cook the mixture over a gentle heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture becomes thick and just about comes to a boil.

14. Remove from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl.

15. Add the butter and stir until melted and thoroughly combined.

16. Leave to cool completely in the fridge.

17. Mash the raspberries with the Grand Marnier liquor and set aside.

18. To assemble the slices, place six of the rectangles onto a large plate. Pipe or scoop the set custard onto the pastry and add a spoonful of the raspberry mixture.

19. Top each one with the other pastry rectangle.

20. Serve with the remaining raspberry mixture and dust with icing sugar if you wish.