Ingredients

Method

• 2 x 250 g sheets Woolworths frozen all-butter puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 1½ cups milk
• 1½ cups cream
• 3 T butter
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeded
• 1 t whole nutmeg, grated
• 150 g caster sugar
• ½ cup water
• 50 g corn flour
• 6 free-range eggs, separated
• 3 T fresh lime juice
• 150 g icing sugar, sifted

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Place the puff pastry sheets on baking trays lined with baking paper. Cover with another sheet of baking paper and weight down with another baking tray. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 30 minutes, then cool on wire racks. Place the milk, cream, butter, vanilla pod and seeds, nutmeg and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan, bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
3. Combine the water and corn flour to create a slurry, then whisk into the egg yolks. Whisk the corn our-and-egg mixture into the hot cream mixture.
4. Once combined, return to the heat, bring to the boil and cook for 30 seconds, or until thickened. 5 Line a greased 22 or 23 cm square cake tin with clingwrap, then place one sheet of puff pastry inside. Top with the custard and second sheet of puff pastry and press down gently. Chill for 3–4 hours or until set.
5. Lift the custard slice out of the tin and remove the clingwrap. Whisk the lime juice and icing sugar and spread onto the custard slice before serving.

Cook's note: If you like, you can use the reserved egg whites to make meringue shards while the custard slice is setting. Serve the shards with ice cream or use to decorate a Christmas cake. (Always keep a stash of puff pastry sheets in your freezer for tarts, pies and pastries.)