Lately I’ve been revisiting my old hand written red cookbook. It’s very dilapidated now, but it’s a trip down memory lane cooking the recipes that stood me in good stead over many decades.

An especial favourite was and still is, vanilla squares with passionfruit icing. I posted this in Facebook a couple of days ago and had so many requests for the recipe I am posting it here also.

Recipe for Vanilla Squares as promised:

Vanilla Squares

Ideally it is best to have a spring form 20 to 23cm square cake tin for use in the later stages of this recipe. If one is not available however, just follow the instructions in the method for lining the tin so that it is easy to remove for icing and serving.

Serves 9

2 sheets frozen ready rolled puff pastry, thawed
1 litre milk
½ cup cream
1 cup cornflour
1 cup sugar
1 cup custard powder
60g butter
4 eggs, lightly beaten
4 teaspoons powdered gelatine

For the icing
1 teaspoon butter
2 cups icing sugar
Pulp one passionfruit or about 70ml tinned
A little boiling water, optional

Heat oven to 200°C. Line two 30cm x 30cm trays with baking paper.

Place a pastry sheet on each and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden, then remove from oven. Place another tray on top and press down to flatten slightly.

If you don’t have a spring form tin, line a 23cm square cake tin with 2 layers of foil, overlapping edges, then line with 2 more layers the opposite way, again overlapping.

Spray with cooling oil spray. Trim the edges of one piece of pastry to line the base and put in place, smooth side down.

Place the milk, cream, cornflour, sugar and custard powder in a saucepan and bring to the boil , stirring constantly with a whisk until it has thickened (it will become very thick). Whisk in the butter and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the eggs.

Sprinkle the gelatine over 1/2 cup boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Whisk into the mixture. Pour into the tin and smooth out the top.

Trim the edges of the other piece of pastry and fit on top, smooth side up. Allow to cool completely before icing.

When the slice is ready for icing, lift out, using the foil overhanging edges. Alternatively, it can be inverted carefully onto a board or platter.

To make the icing, mix the butter, icing sugar and passionfruit pulp adding just a little boiling water if necessary to make a spreading consistency.

Spread over the pastry.

Allow icing to set before cutting into squares or slices to serve.