With flaky puff pastry, creamy custard, raspberries & sweet icing, this Bavarian Slice is certainly a delicious teatime treat.
What is a Bavarian Slice
A Bavarian Slice is very similar to a custard slice. The bakes both consist of a sandwich of thick creamy custard between two pieces of crispy puff pastry and are decorated with a sweet icing to the upper pastry surface.
However, the Bavarian Slice is a little more indulgent, and dare I say posher, than the slightly plainer custard slice with its layer of jam sat snugly beneath a creamier filling. The icing is also usually finished with the classic feathering pattern too.
Both custard slices and Bavarian slices are often assembled in a high sided baking tray, like a brownie pan. It enables the baker to achieve the classically smooth edges to the slice.
However, wanting to allow the fresh raspberries in my version the chance to peak out of the sides, I decided to assemble each portion individually.
This isn't as difficult as it may sound, and results in a slightly home-made appearance which I personally like.
Ingredients
Scroll down for quantities and full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Puff Pastry - Of course you could make your own puff pastry if you have time but when it comes to puff pastry I often buy it ready made.
I prefer all butter puff pastry. For this bake, I used a 320g (11oz) pack of ready rolled Jus-Rol All Butter puff pastry, which made 4 generous portions.
Plain flour - for dusting
for the custard ( Creme Pâtisserie)
Single cream (US = light cream)
Milk - Full fat or semi skimmed
Vanilla extract
Caster Sugar - I like to use golden caster sugar for most of my baking. It's the same as normal caster sugar, but it's unrefined, It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones.
Egg yolks - from medium or large eggs
Cornflour (US = corn starch)
Butter - I tend to use lightly salted butter as that is what I have in the fridge. If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt.
for the raspberry layer
Raspberry jam - Regular or seedless whichever you prefer
Fresh raspberries - I used 6 per portion
to decorate
Icing sugar
Milk chocolate
How to make the slices
My Bavarian Slices are relatively straightforward to make. The raw pastry is laid onto a baking sheet and weighted down with another tray, to prevent it puffing up, before baking until golden and crisp.
The custard is cooked on the hob slowly until thickened, it is enriched with butter rather than whipped double cream.
The cooled pastry is then trimmed to size, spread with a fruity jam, and topped with a few raspberries before the thick custard is piped onto the jam layer.
The second piece of pastry is positioned on top once it has been iced and decorated with a chocolate feathering.
How far can these be made ahead of time?
Although some people suggest that these need to be assembled just prior to eating to prevent the pastry from becoming soggy I have not found this to be the case if you bake the pastry sufficiently. I have successfully made these several hours before serving with no detrimental effect.
However, you can also lengthen the time the will last further by painting the internal face of the pastry (those surfaces which will be in contact with the custard) with a little melted white chocolate, a technique often used in fruit tarts.
Either way it is important to store them in an airtight container in a cool place .
With the sweet chocolatey icing, against the crisp flaky buttery pastry, teamed with the creamy custard and sharp fresh raspberries this bake was an absolute winner.
Love baking recipes. Check out my other Pâtisserie
So let's get to it and bake.
📖 Recipe
Bavarian Slice
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- 2 baking trays of equal size
- piping bag
- large round piping nozzle
Ingredients
For the puff pastry
- 320 g Pack of ready rolled Puff Pastry I used Jus Rol's All Butter Puff Pastry (11oz)
- Plain Flour, for dusting
for the custard ( Creme Pâtisserie)
- 150 ml single cream (light cream ¼pt)
- 230 ml milk (8floz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 75 g golden caster sugar (3oz)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 30 g cornflour (corn starch 1¼oz)
- 20 g butter (¾oz) cut into cubes
for the raspberry layer
- 2-3 tablespoon raspberry jam
- 24-40 fresh raspberries I used 6 per portion
to decorate
- 4 tablespoon icing sugar
- 6 squares milk chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan)/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Prepare the pastry for baking. Unroll the pastry keeping it on the greaseproof paper supplied. With a rolling pin lightly roll the pastry to flatten it if necessary, dusting the pin lightly with flour. Lay the pastry and greaseproof paper on a baking tray, cover with another sheet of greaseproof paper and sit the second tray on top. Weigh this down with a pudding bowl or tin can. Depending upon the size of your trays, you may need to slice the pastry in half and bake in batches, as I did.
- Place the prepared pastry in the centre of the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, checking it after 20 minutes. Rotate the tray around if necessary. Once cooked through and golden brown remove from the oven and carefully transfer the pastry to a cooling tray.
- To make the custard, pour the cream, milk and vanilla extract into a medium heavy based pan and sit it over a medium heat.
- Using a balloon whisk, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, and corn flour in a bowl sat on a tea towel, adding a little of the cool measured milk if it's particularly thick. Once the milk is about to come to the boil slowly pour about a quarter of the milk over the egg mixture whisking constantly. Then whisk in the remaining milk
- Pour the runny custard mixture back into the pan. Reduce the heat to low. Cook the custard slowly, constantly stirring with a wooden spoon until very thick. If the custard starts go go lumpy remove from the heat and beat vigorously. Once the custard is thick pour it into a bowl.
- Add half of the cubed butter and stir gently but thoroughly to combine. Add the remainder of the butter, stirring until it has fully melted and been incorporated with the custard. Cover with a disc of greaseproof paper so that it is in contact with the mixture to prevent it skinning. Set aside to cool. Once cooled place in the fridge to firm up further.
- Place the cooled pastry on a clean work surface and with a sharp knife carefully trim the edges of the pastry. Cut the pastry in 8 equally sized portions (Mine were approx 10 x 6.5cm (4x3in ). Pair up the pastry pieces. If one is larger then the other simply place the smaller one on top of the larger one and trim the excess away with a sharp knife.
- Place the jam in a bowl and stir thoroughly to soften. If it needs slackening any further simply add a drop or two of water. Stir the custard thoroughly and spoon into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.
- Make the water icing, pPlace the icing sugar into a cup or small bowl and add a teaspoon of water. Mix. Slowly add drips of water mixing between each addition to get the mixture to the desired consistency. It needs to be quite thick.
- Melt the chocolate. Break the chocolate into a small bowl and set it over a pan containing a small amount of water. Ensure the water doesn't touch the base of the bowl Set over a medium heat and allow to melt. Once melted remove from the heat and set aside.
- To assemble the Bavarian Slices. Decide which pastry slice of each pair will be used for the base and spoon some jam onto each one. Use the back of a spoon to spread the jam from the centre to the edges. Position the fresh raspberries along the edge of the pastry, open side down so that they stand upright easily. Pipe the custard between each of the raspberries and through the middle length of the pastry, aiming it to be at least as tall as the raspberries. Avoid getting too near the pastry edge.
- Spoon the water icing onto the remaining pastry pieces and spread out to form a thick layer . Use a teaspoon to dribble five parallel evenly spaced lines of chocolate along the short length of the pastry. Feather the chocolate into the icing with the point of a small knife Carefully lift the decorated piece of pastry and gently position on to the raspberries and custard.
- Chill for about an hour before serving. Enjoy
Notes
Cook's Tips
- The ready rolled puff pastry was bought for convenience and its neat edges. Block pastry will work just as well. Aim to roll the pastry into a neat oblong to avoid wasting too much pastry through the need to trim excessively. The pastry will need to be rolled to about 5mm thick.
- Egg whites can be frozen in an airtight container, with a note on the outside stating how many it contains. Once defrosted they'll be good to use in another bake.
Nutrition
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Huw Price says
I'm no baker but we made these this weekend and we loved the taste! I think I'll use less raspberries next time, and now I know I didn't get the custard hot enough before I started to cool it - I stirred it for about 20 minutes waiting for it to thicken... before I turned it up a bit to come back down - then it thickened within a minute! 🙂 Oh, and the chocoloate didn't go so great for me either - I had the bowl floating in the boiling water before I read the bit that said "don't let the bowl touch the water"...like I said I'm no baker but I'll do it again - love it thanks!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
We learn from our mistakes and the more you practise the better you get. You will be a great baker before you know it.
Carine says
Spent a few hours yesterday and today making and decorating these and they just disappeared like mist before the sun! I'll just have to make more. Thanks so much.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Ha Ha That's what I love to hear. If they disappeared that quickly they must have been good.
Julie McPherson says
Oh wow! Your Bavarian slices are perfect and I'm sure taste heavenly too. Commenting as BritMums Baking Round-up Editor.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thankyou Julie, Mum and Dad absolutely lovd them and actually placed a request for a second batch ;-). Congratulations on becoming the baking editor for BritMums,
Angela x
Winnie says
These look absolutely DIVINE !!
I so wish I could taste one of these
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Winnie,
Angela x
Pebble Soup says
Angela,
I am amazed this is exactly how I remember them from my childhood, I use to love these. So great that you linked to Inheritance Recipes we hope to see you again.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh I'm glad it's brought back some childhood memories Solange 🙂 For me the the feathered top is just as I remembered but the filling is a little different with me having added raspberries. None the less my dad loved it, he always seemed to treat himself to one every week 🙂
Thanks for hosting Solange,
Angela x
Margot says
That looks amazing Angela!!
Thank you for sharing with Inheritance Recipes. I have added it also to our Bake Sale Pinterest board.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Margot 🙂
Angela x
Jenny - Monkey and Mouse says
I didn't realise that these are actually possible to make at home, they look so professional. I doubt I could make them as well as you, but I should definitely give it a try, I love Bavarian slices and most cream cakes too! Thanks so much for linking up to #Howtosunday x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Oooh you definately need to give them a go jenny if you enjoy Bavarian Slices so much. My parents & I really enjoyed them. I think bakeries would make them in a large tray and once the custard is fully set slice it to create that beautifully neat edge.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments Jenny,
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Wow - these look AMAZING!! You are so skilled...if I tried to make these it would end in disaster and tears!! Eb x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
🙂 thank you Eb, I think my Grandma (the one who planted the baking seed in me) must have been smiling down on me when I made these. I've certainly been there and bought the t-shirt with bakes that look like they'd been dragged through a hedge backwards! I tend to do better when I step back and make it clear in my mind how I want it to look and how I'm going to achieve that appearance.
Thanks for your lovely comment Eb,
Angela x
Alison says
I am very impressed, these look amazing and your icing is fab. I would make a complete mess
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thank you Alison. You know when I was about to apply the chocolate onto the icing I knew I could very easily make a mess of it. So I stood back for a moment, and made it clear in my mind what I wanted to achieve rather than charging in like a bull in a china shop - which I do occasionally do 😉
Thank you for your lovely comment Alison,
Angela x
Hannah says
Angela these look AMAZING! Check you out with your patisserie skills!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Hahaha, what shop bought pastry 😉 Thank you all the same though Hannah, I really enjoyed making them 🙂
Thank you for your lovely comment Hannah,
Angela x
Hayley UK says
Wow these look very professional :-)Thanks for linking with #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Aw thank you Hayley, you're too kind. I can see quite a few visual faults with them though, but they still went down very nicely 🙂
Thank you for popping by,
Angela x
Sarah James says
Saw these beauties on Twitter, they look absolutely delicious Angela. Lovely recipe, I like the idea of using a butter enriched creme patisserie and the tip for keeping the pastry from going soggy using white chocolate is really useful. x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Sarah. I've only ever painted sweet short pastry with white chocolate, but rather than on puff pastry but I strongly suspect it will have the same effect though of course it would have to be applied carefully so as not to damage the delicate layers.
Thanks you for your lovely comment Sarah,
Angela x
Charlotte Oates says
These look so yummy - I love custard slices so I definitely think I'd enjoy your "posh" version. The only problem is that whilst it may be posh I most certainly wouldn't look posh eating it. Any tips for eating one delicately without squidging custard out of the sides would be appreciated.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Hahaha 🙂 I know exactly what you mean, they're certainly don't help us be elegant when eating them do they 🙂 My dad, who has had many of these over the years, tends to take the top layer of pastry off and eat that first, and then he man-handles the custard topped bottom layer by and eats it by using his fingers rather then a fork.
Thank you for your lovely comment Charlotte,
Angela x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
These look so pretty, I bet they tasted so good! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh gosh, they certainly did Kirsty. Mum and Dad have already requested I make another batch!
Thank you for your lovely comment Kirsty,
Angela x
Louise Fairweather says
Oh my these look fantastic and delicious! #cookblogshare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
🙂 Thank you Louise,
Angela x
Winnie says
These look soooooooooo delicious and so tempting!! Fantastic desserts 🙂
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Winnie 🙂
Corina says
They look so tasty and I love how beautifully piped the custard is too - a perfect treat for your dad!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain says
Thank you Corina 🙂 Both Mum & Dad were quite excited when I dropped them off en route to the class - plates were brought out of the cupboard straightaway. They enjoyed them so much that they've placed an order for another batch!
Thanks for your lovely comment Corina,
Angela x