Pastry: Extremely crisp, tight flaky layers 7.5/10
Presentation: Neat, glossy fondant icing 8.5/10
Value for money: $3.30, average size, freshly baked 9/10
Overall score: 8.25/10
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Filling: Sticky, fluffy, creamy custard 8/10
Pastry: Extremely crisp, tight flaky layers 7.5/10 Presentation: Neat, glossy fondant icing 8.5/10 Value for money: $3.30, average size, freshly baked 9/10 Overall score: 8.25/10
With only a small stretch of Moonee Ponds Central separating Puckle Street Bakery Cafe and my favourite bakery - Gusto, on Hall Street, I was initially dubious that this vanilla slice was not baked on site! On closer inspection I realised the ratios of custard to pastry weren't quite right and overall it just wasn't as flavoursome as Gusto's. Nevertheless, I was still really satisfied with this find, at only $3.30 I don't know how I have managed to walk past this place for nearly 4 years living in the area. Slightly more vanilla flavouring is needed, and a more buttery pastry would make this the real deal.
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Filling: 'Set' custard 5/10
Pastry: Triple layer soggy cardboard 4/10 Presentation: Heavily iced, neat rectangular portion 6/10 Value for money: $5.50, large, not fresh 6/10 Overall score: 5.25/10
A sleeping baby, the sun out and an iced coffee/vanilla slice combo at a local cafe...What more could you want? How about a vanilla slice that is fresh and doesn't cost the earth?
This was OK, if fresh it would be better, but not amazing. The portion size is generous, the icing sugar aesthetically pleasing, but sadly that's about it. The pastry tasted a day old and soggy, with the custard loaded with gelatin and lacking any real vanilla creaminess and definition. I gave up trying to eat this thing with a fork, instead opting for a freestyle approach with locals stuck in traffic gorping at me!
Filling: Fluffy whipped cream 5/10
Pastry: Slightly cardboardy, dense 4/10 Presentation: Icing sugar loss, nothing special 4/10 Value for money: $2.80, average portion size 6/10 Overall score: 5/10
In unknown territory I might have rushed this hunt and settled for the first vanilla slice I saw. In hind sight perhaps I should have waited for one of the nearby bakeries on Centre Road. Nevertheless, this was worthy of a chomp at only $2.80. The pastry was not in the same league as my top haunts and the whipped cream had a slightly marzipan flavour to it that left me slightly confused. Other than that, the Mrs enjoyed her apple scroll very much.
Filling: Fluffy, smooth creamy custard 7/10
Pastry: Dark, flaky, but slightly too rigid 6.5/10 Presentation: Heavy dusting of icing sugar 7/10 Value for money: $3, average portion size, fresh 8/10 Overall score: 7/10
Selling two kinds of vanilla slice I opted for the "Custard vanilla" instead of the slightly ropy and heavily iced traditional vanilla slice. At only $3 you can't go wrong with this effort; lovely smooth custard - but no obvious vanilla inclusion (contrary to its name), and freshly baked flaky pastry - though its layering was slightly too thick which gave the whole thing a rigidity when biting through, causing severe custard oozing. Otherwise enjoyable.
Filling: Light, vanilla bean creme patissiere 8/10
Pastry: Golden, flaky and buttery 8.5/10 Presentation: Heavy dusting of icing sugar 7/10 Value for money: $5, average portion size, relatively fresh 6/10 Overall score: 7.35/10
A walk around the block to tire out my grizzly son ended up in an evening cake purchase. Creme never used to sell vanilla slices, but now they do! Not a bad specimen either; light, full of black vanilla speckles and not overly sweetened. The pastry was pretty good too, baked to a lovely golden colour. I'm glad I got one whilst they were still fresh enough to have flaky pastry. Five dollars is reasonable when fresh, but overpriced if a day old I'm sure.
Filling: Buttery, rich, creamy custard 7/10
Pastry: Finely baked, golden and flaky 9/10 Presentation: Typical Aussie 'snot block' style 7/10 Value for money: $3.60, average portion, freshly baked 8/10 Overall score: 7.75/10
I walked into the Pastry Kitchen at 8.30am and was pleasantly surprised to see so many freshly baked cakes and pastries on display. Without any consideration I purchased one of their typical Aussie-looking vanilla slices for a reasonable $3.60. I consumed it freestyle whilst walking up Glenferrie Road and was proud not to drop any filling down my shirt. I was pretty impressed overall; the pastry was really crisp and flaky and was easy to bite through, the custard a nice viscosity and airy (though a bit too buttery and not enough sweet vanilla flavouring for my liking) and the fondant a great texture to offset the saltiness of the pastry. A few minor tweaks and we have a great contender.
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January 2022
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