Blog Archives

Homemade (Take 2)

8/30/2015

Rating: 8.5/10
In one word: Indulgent

This was my second effort, using mainly the Donna Hay recipe. Having enjoyed making my first one in January I figured I would attempt another, this time with some more complexity. I stuck to the Donna Hay recipe for the most part, halving all the measurements for a half size portion, but throwing an extra egg yolk in to add a little more colour and viscosity to the custard. The end result was a gorgeous, bright custard that was packed full of vanilla bean, rich and creamy. I kept the puff pastry sheets in the oven for an extra 10 minutes to give them the dark, golden colour and texture that was lacking in my last bake. Even when sandwiched with the custard the pastry cut and flaked with a sharp knife perfectly. Where I came unstuck was the fondant. Too much water and a poor technique with pouring the raw cocoa resulted in a slap-dash finish, which given the quality of my pastry and custard let the aesthetics down. Having said that - the taste and indulgence of the recipe was very satisfying indeed.

0 Comments

Bunnings Cafe - Maribrynong, VIC

8/29/2015

0 Comments

Rating: 7/10
In one word: Surprising

I wouldn't normally indulge in food from a hardware store, but the vanilla slices in the cabinet looked too good to leave alone, at only $3.30 a go. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the vanilla slice. Portion size, freshness and flavours were all pretty good. The custard had vanilla bean running through, with a heavy, whipped texture that still spurted out the side with every bite. The pastry (as visible is in the photo) was very flaky and fresh, but a little more baked would have given it a slightly more golden flavour. The icing, again, was pretty good. Not too sweet, slightly sticky and patterned with chocolate - Perhaps just a little too thick. I would happily eat one from there again next time I'm shopping for sandpaper or maybe some fake grass.

0 Comments

Beatrix Cakes - North Melbourne, VIC

8/24/2015

0 Comments

Rating: 9.25/10
In one word: Balanced

Beatrix Cakes in North Melbourne came up on my radar a little while ago with images of their freshly baked vanilla slices posted on Twitter. The place is obviously much loved, with a queue coming out of the door early on a Saturday morning. I managed to get one of their slices and was not disappointed. You can tell they love baking, using great ingredients and recipes to create delicious, fresh cakes and pastries. The vanilla slice in question was of a decent size and proportion, with a thick layer of eggy custard centered around two dark layers of golden flaky pastry. Neatly iced on top was a squidgy, soft layer of passion fruit icing that was not overly sweet, but ever so tasty. Not only was the custard eggy, but it also had vanilla bean running through which gave it a lovely vanilla flavour. The pastry was also divine; rich, buttery and a perfect thickness and crumbly texture. This was much needed after a few rather poor efforts on my recent travels.

0 Comments

Nature's One Flour & Bread - Moonee Ponds, VIC

8/16/2015

0 Comments

Rating: 3/10
In one word: Predictable

Friday night, new store, $3 vanilla slice...I should have guessed. Every vanilla slice I have had from Moonee Ponds so far has been pretty disappointing, so I shouldn't have been surprised. This one looked like it might have some interesting features, but sadly appearances behind glass did not materialise. The custard was not fresh and fluffy as it looked in the display case, rather rubbery and clearly set with gelatine. It lacked taste in all areas, not just the custard, partly to do with the lightly baked pastry and rather unusual chocolate (was it chocolate?) icing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

0 Comments

Alfa Bakehouse - Yarraville, VIC

8/9/2015

0 Comments

Rating: 7/10
In one word: Pleasant

I was aiming for a vanilla slice from Dad and Dave's but calling in on a Sunday proved a gamble, and they were sold out. Therefore I went around the corner and had breakfast at Alfa Bakehouse. The vanilla slice was sold to me as a custard filling but when I got it home and started eating, it was obviously just a thickened cream filling. Having said that the whole thing was rather pleasant from start to finish. The pastry looked worryingly soggy, but when cutting and biting through it, it remained crisp and flaky, to my relief. The thick layer of vanilla cream was fresh and tasty and the sweetness of the patterned fondant icing was welcomed.

0 Comments

Euro Lounge - Armadale, VIC

8/7/2015

0 Comments

Rating: 9/10
In one word: Sneaky

I saw the Euro Lounge's vanilla slice being shared on Twitter by a happy customer so thought it best to try it myself. I was very impressed with the products at this little cafe on High Street and the vanilla slice was a delicious way to finish off my lunch. It wasn't until I peeled off the paper case that a sneaky and delicate layer of strawberry jam on the bottom layer of pastry was revealed. This was a good product in terms of flavour, size, textures and aesthetics. Firstly, the custard was just that...custard. Creamy, a little eggy, vanilla bean running through and a nice thick, but not gelatinous texture. The pastry was flaky, very thin and delicate and crumbly throughout. The jam gave the whole thing a fruity sweetness that came through with every bite, and the sticky fondant icing was a pleasure to lick off my fingers afterwards. Very nice indeed.

0 Comments

Homemade (Take 2)

Bunnings Cafe - Maribrynong, VIC

Beatrix Cakes - North Melbourne, VIC

Nature's One Flour & Bread - Moonee Ponds, VIC

Alfa Bakehouse - Yarraville, VIC

Euro Lounge - Armadale, VIC

Welcome

Categories

External Links

Archives