delicious.com.au/recipes
For more divine desserts
to impress your guests.to impress your guests.HONEY VANILLA SLICE HONEY VANILLA SLICE
WITH HONEYCOMBWITH HONEYCOMB
SERVES 10SERVES 10
I’ve given this Australian classic I’ve given this Australian classic
a twist by caramelising the a twist by caramelising the
pastry with honey and adding pastry with honey and adding
a toffee crunch. You will need a a toffee crunch. You will need a
sugar thermometer. Begin this sugar thermometer. Begin this
recipe 1 day ahead. recipe 1 day ahead.375g sheet frozen all-butter 375g sheet frozen all-butter
puff pastry (we used puff pastry (we used
Carême – 52cm x 26cm Carême – 52cm x 26cm
sheet), thawedsheet), thawed(^11) // 22 cup (180g) honey, warmed, cup (180g) honey, warmed,
plus extra to drizzleplus extra to drizzle
90g cornflour90g cornflour
(^22) // 33 cup (150g) caster sugar cup (150g) caster sugar
1111 // 22 cups (375ml) milk cups (375ml) milk
1 tbs vanilla extract1 tbs vanilla extract
2 titanium-strength 2 titanium-strength
gelatine leavesgelatine leaves
2 cups (500ml) pure (thin) cream2 cups (500ml) pure (thin) cream
50g unsalted butter, chopped50g unsalted butter, chopped
4 egg yolks4 egg yolks
HONEYCOMBHONEYCOMB
(^11) // 22 cup (110g) caster sugar cup (110g) caster sugar
(^11) // 44 cup (90g) honey cup (90g) honey
(^33) // 44 tsp bicarbonate of soda, tsp bicarbonate of soda,
siftedsifted
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Grease 2 baking trays and line Grease 2 baking trays and line
with baking paper, then grease with baking paper, then grease
a 22cm square cake pan and a 22cm square cake pan and
line with baking paper, leaving line with baking paper, leaving
5cm overhanging each side.5cm overhanging each side.
Cut the pastry sheet into Cut the pastry sheet into
2 squares and place on the 2 squares and place on the
prepared trays. Brush both the prepared trays. Brush both the
pastry sheets generously with pastry sheets generously with
honey, then cover each sheet honey, then cover each sheet
with a piece of baking paper and with a piece of baking paper and
place another baking tray on place another baking tray on
each to weigh down and keep each to weigh down and keep
flat while baking (work in batches flat while baking (work in batches
if you don’t have enough baking if you don’t have enough baking
trays). Bake, swapping trays trays). Bake, swapping trays
halfway, for 40-45 minutes or halfway, for 40-45 minutes or
until the pastry is cooked until the pastry is cooked
through. Remove the weights and the top through. Remove the weights and the top
sheets of baking paper, then brush the sheets of baking paper, then brush the
pastry with more honey. Bake, checking pastry with more honey. Bake, checking
every 3-5 minutes (be careful, as the honey every 3-5 minutes (be careful, as the honey
can burn easily), for a further 10 minutes or can burn easily), for a further 10 minutes or
until crisp, golden and glossy. Set the until crisp, golden and glossy. Set the
pastry sheets aside to cool completely.pastry sheets aside to cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make the custard, Meanwhile, to make the custard,
place the cornflour and the sugar in place the cornflour and the sugar in
a heatproof bowl. Place the milk and a heatproof bowl. Place the milk and
vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat
and bring to just below boiling. Gradually and bring to just below boiling. Gradually
whisk the warm milk into the cornflour whisk the warm milk into the cornflour
mixture until smooth.mixture until smooth.
Meanwhile, soak gelatine in a bowl of Meanwhile, soak gelatine in a bowl of
cold water for 5 minutes to soften. cold water for 5 minutes to soften.
Return milk mixture to saucepan and Return milk mixture to saucepan and
place over medium heat. Add cream, then place over medium heat. Add cream, then
bring to the boil, whisking until thickened. bring to the boil, whisking until thickened.
Squeeze the excess water from gelatine, Squeeze the excess water from gelatine,
then add to the pan with the butter. Whisk then add to the pan with the butter. Whisk
until melted and combined. Remove from until melted and combined. Remove from
the heat and whisk in egg yolks until the heat and whisk in egg yolks until
smooth and combined.smooth and combined.
Using a serrated knife, trim the pastry Using a serrated knife, trim the pastry
to fit the prepared pan. Place 1 piece, to fit the prepared pan. Place 1 piece,
honey-side up, in base of pan. Pour the honey-side up, in base of pan. Pour the
custard over pastry base, then set aside custard over pastry base, then set aside
for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Place for 15 minutes to cool slightly. Place
remaining pastry piece, honey-side up, remaining pastry piece, honey-side up,
on top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill on top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill
overnight or until firm.overnight or until firm.
For the honeycomb, grease a 20cm x For the honeycomb, grease a 20cm x
30cm lamington pan and line with baking 30cm lamington pan and line with baking
paper. Place sugar, honey and 2 tbs water paper. Place sugar, honey and 2 tbs water
in a large saucepan over medium-low in a large saucepan over medium-low
heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Increase heat and stir to dissolve sugar. Increase
the heat to high and bring to the boil. the heat to high and bring to the boil.
Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes or Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes or
until deep golden and it reaches 154°C until deep golden and it reaches 154°C
on a sugar thermometer. Remove from on a sugar thermometer. Remove from
the heat and allow bubbles to subside. the heat and allow bubbles to subside.
Working quickly, add bicarb, stirring with Working quickly, add bicarb, stirring with
a wooden spoon to combine (honeycomb a wooden spoon to combine (honeycomb
will foam). Quickly pour into the prepared will foam). Quickly pour into the prepared
pan and set aside to cool completely. pan and set aside to cool completely.
When ready to serve, remove honeycomb When ready to serve, remove honeycomb
from pan and roughly chop.from pan and roughly chop.
Using a serrated knife, cut the vanilla Using a serrated knife, cut the vanilla
slice into pieces. Drizzle with extra honey slice into pieces. Drizzle with extra honey
and top with honeycomb to serve.and top with honeycomb to serve.
FRESH HONEYCOMB FRESH HONEYCOMB
& CREAM SPONGE CAKE& CREAM SPONGE CAKE
SERVES 10-12SERVES 10-12
400g self-raising flour, sifted400g self-raising flour, sifted
400g caster sugar400g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder2 tsp baking powder
400g unsalted butter, softened, 400g unsalted butter, softened,
plus extra to greaseplus extra to grease
8 eggs8 eggs
(^11) // 33 cup (80ml) milk cup (80ml) milk
50g honey50g honey
1111 // 22 cups (375ml) pure (thin) cream cups (375ml) pure (thin) cream
220g mascarpone220g mascarpone
200g fresh honeycomb (from selected 200g fresh honeycomb (from selected
grocers), choppedgrocers), chopped
Pure icing sugar, to dustPure icing sugar, to dust
Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan-forced). Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan-forced).
Grease 3 x 20cm shallow cake pans and Grease 3 x 20cm shallow cake pans and
line bases with baking paper.line bases with baking paper.
Place the flour, sugar and baking Place the flour, sugar and baking
powder in a stand mixer fitted with the powder in a stand mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment. Add the butter, paddle attachment. Add the butter,
eggs, milk and honey, and beat for eggs, milk and honey, and beat for
6 minutes or until smooth and doubled 6 minutes or until smooth and doubled
in size. Divide the batter evenly among in size. Divide the batter evenly among
the prepared pans and bake, swapping the prepared pans and bake, swapping
pans halfway, for 25 minutes or until the pans halfway, for 25 minutes or until the
centre of the cakes spring back when centre of the cakes spring back when
gently pressed. Allow to cool in pans gently pressed. Allow to cool in pans
for 10 minutes, then place on wire racks for 10 minutes, then place on wire racks
to cool completely.to cool completely.
Place the cream and mascarpone Place the cream and mascarpone
in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk
attachment and whisk on high speed attachment and whisk on high speed
until stiff peaks form. until stiff peaks form.
Place 1 sponge cake on a serving plate. Place 1 sponge cake on a serving plate.
Spoon over half the cream and spread Spoon over half the cream and spread
out to the edges. Scatter with half the out to the edges. Scatter with half the
honeycomb. Top with second sponge honeycomb. Top with second sponge
cake and remaining cream, spreading cake and remaining cream, spreading
to edges, then scatter with remaining to edges, then scatter with remaining
honeycomb. Top with final sponge cake.honeycomb. Top with final sponge cake.
Dust the cake with icing sugar and cut Dust the cake with icing sugar and cut
into pieces to serve.into pieces to serve.
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