Fruit Slice – Bande Aux Fruits

Fruit Slice - Bande Aux Fruits

My mid-week treat. Why not treat yourself too?

Serves: 4

2 eggs

100g caster sugar

50g plain flour

10g custard powder

½ litre whole milk

A few drops vanilla essence

250g puff pastry

1tbsp apricot jam

Fruit topping of your choice

For the pastry:

Roll out the pastry until its about 1/2 cm thick and 35cm long.

Cut the pastry into a strip that’s about 12cm wide.

Place the pastry on a lightly oil baking tin.

Moisten the two edges with egg wash and lay two strips of 2cm wide pastry on top. Seal firmly and mark with the back of a knife.

Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork to stop it from rising in the oven.

Place in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 215 degrees.

Bake in the oven for 12-15minutes. Check the pastry half way and if the base has risen use a spatula to gently press it back down.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

For the Pastry Crème:

Whisk the eggs and caster sugar together until almost white. Mix in the flour, custard powder and vanilla essence.

Carefully heat the milk in a pan until a few bubbles rise to the surface then mix the milk into egg and flour mixture.

Return the mix to a clean pan and carefully heat stirring constantly until it turns into a thick custard.

Leave to cool slightly before spreading the pastry crème over the base of the puff pastry. Decorate with the fruits of your choice.

Finally, to seal everything together, make an apricot glaze by bringing to the boil the apricot jam and a little water to cover. Whilst still hot, brush the apricot glaze over the top of the fruit.