Vanilla slice facts for kids
A vanilla slice is a yummy dessert that's popular in Australia. It's a type of pastry with a creamy filling. Imagine two layers of crispy pastry with a thick, smooth custard in the middle! It's often topped with sweet icing.
What is a Vanilla Slice?
A vanilla slice is a delicious treat. It has a thick, creamy filling called custard. This custard usually tastes like vanilla or chocolate. The custard is sandwiched between two layers of light, flaky puff pastry. Sometimes, very thin filo pastry is used instead.
After the custard and pastry layers, the top of the slice is covered with sweet icing. This icing can be many flavors, like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, or even passion fruit!
Vanilla slices are a common sight in bakeries all over Australia. Some people jokingly call it a 'Snot Block' because of how the custard looks, but it's a much loved dessert!
Where Did the Vanilla Slice Come From?
Many people think the Australian vanilla slice is a unique food from Australia. However, it is quite similar to a French pastry called a 'mille-feuille'. The mille-feuille is also made with layers of puff pastry and cream, and it might have been the inspiration for the vanilla slice.
The Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph
Did you know there's a competition to find the best vanilla slice baker? It's called the Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph! Bakers from all over Australia enter to show off their skills.
Judges look for several things when they taste the slices. They want the custard to be super smooth and creamy. It also needs to have a good balance of vanilla flavor. The pastry should be crisp and crunchy. Finally, the icing on top needs to be smooth and shiny.
This exciting competition used to be held in a town called Ouyen, Victoria. But in 2011, another town in the Sunraysia area, Merbein, took over hosting the event.
