How to make cheat's vanilla slice with a Thermomix

As kids, we always made vanilla slice using lattice biscuits rather than puff pastry. It is certainly easier to make and serve that way, and I prefer the crunch of the biscuit with the oozy creamy custard ... although that might just be the nostalgia talking.

INGREDIENTS

100g raw sugar

900g milk

5 eggs

170g cornflour

2 tsp vanilla extract

300g thickened cream

24 lattice biscuits

METHOD

1. Place sugar in TC bowl, mill 10 seconds, speed 9.

2. Add milk, eggs, cornflour and vanilla, cook for 10 minutes, 90C, speed 4. Pour into a container, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of eight hours.

3. Insert butterfly in TC bowl. Add cream, whip for 10 seconds, speed 4, or until cream just clings to the sides of the TC bowl. Be careful not to overwhip. Remove butterfly and scrape down sides.

4. Cut cold custard into 10 pieces and add to TC bowl. Mix for 45 seconds, speed 5, assisting with spatula, or until just smooth (avoid overmixing or custard will become too thin). If the mixture appears to be "stuck" and no longer processing, remove lid and scrape down sides before continuing.

5. Line a 20cm ×15cm roasting tin or cake tin with baking paper, with plenty overhanging the sides. Layer 12 lattice biscuits tightly across the bottom of the lined tin and spread custard thickly and evenly over biscuits. Top with the remaining 12 lattice biscuits, lining up with the ones on the bottom. Refrigerate for one hour.

6. Using the sides of the baking paper, lift slice out of tin. Use a knife to cut through custard in between each biscuit stack, being careful not to break biscuits. Serve slices as they are or dusted with icing sugar.

Serves 12

Tips

Ideally, the slices should be served one hour after assembly, but if you need to make them further in advance, allow them to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. After 24 hours the biscuits will soften and lose their crunch, but they will retain their shape and, of course, will still be absolutely delicious.

To make them easy to eat, slice horizontally through the custard, splitting the slice into two halves, each with a crunchy biscuit base and custard topping.

Peanut butter choc pops

I just love these – the combination of peanuts, chocolate and honeycomb is such a winner. They look so impressive but are really easy to make; the key is to work quickly as the chocolate will set almost as soon as it touches the ice-cream.

INGREDIENTS

220g thickened cream

180g sweetened condensed milk

100g evaporated milk

100g unsweetened peanut butter (see tips)

20g honeycomb, roughly broken

400g milk chocolate buttons

10g macadamia oil

METHOD

1. Insert butterfly into TC bowl. Add cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk and peanut butter to bowl, whip for 30 seconds, speed 4. Divide mixture evenly among six icypole moulds and insert wooden sticks. Freeze for a minimum of eight hours.

2. Place honeycomb in clean TC bowl, mill for two seconds, speed 7, or until fine but still with some texture. Set aside.

3. Place chocolate and macadamia oil in clean TC bowl, melt for three minutes, 50C, speed 1. Scrape down sides.

4. Mix for 30 seconds, speed 4, or until smooth. Transfer to a tall, narrow glass.

5. Remove ice-creams from moulds and place on a lined baking tray. Working quickly, dip ice-cream in chocolate so it is completely coated, allowing excess chocolate to drip back into glass. Return to baking tray and immediately sprinkle with honeycomb.

Repeat with remaining ice-creams, then return to freezer. Freeze for a minimum of one hour before serving.

Serves 6

Tips

You can use either smooth or crunchy peanut butter for this recipe, depending on whether you want a smooth or textured ice cream.

You will probably have leftover chocolate. Allow it to set hard before returning to your pantry or add milk and make an indulgent hot chocolate.