Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream
1 quantity pastry cream, see page 166, steps 1–5
1 lb 5oz (600g) all-butter puff pastry, store-bought,
or see pages 174–175, steps 1–10
3⁄4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp cocoa powder
1⁄2 jar smooth strawberry or raspberry jam

Method:
1 Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold it into the pastry cream and chill.Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Sprinkle a baking sheet with cold water.

2 Roll out the pastry to a rectangle larger than the baking sheet, then transfer to the sheet, letting the edges overhang. Press the dough down. Chill for 15 minutes.

3 Prick the dough with a fork. Cover with parchment paper, then set a wire rack on top. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until it just begins to brown. Hold the sheet and rack and invert the pastry.

4 Slide the baking sheet back under and bake for 10 more minutes, until both sides are browned. Remove from the oven and slide the pastry onto a cutting board. While still warm, cut it into 2 x 4in (5 x 10cm) rectangles, in multiples of 3.

5 Put the confectioner’s sugar in a bowl and add 1–11⁄2 tablespoons cold water. Take 2 tablespoons out and mix with the cocoa to make a small amount of chocolate icing.

6 Place the chocolate icing in a piping bag with a thin nozzle.  Take a third of the pastry pieces and spread them with the white icing. While the icing is wet, pipe horizontal lines across them using the chocolate icing, then drag a skewer through the lines vertically to produce a striped effect. Allow to dry.

7 Spread the remaining pastry pieces with a thin layer of the jam. Spread a ½in (1cm) layer of pastry cream on top of the jam, and clean up the edges with a knife.

8 To assemble the vanilla slices, take a piece of pastry with jam and pastry cream, and place another gently on top.

9 Press down lightly before topping with a third iced piece of pastry.

10 PREPARE AHEAD The dish can be made ahead and chilled for up to 6 hours.

Vanilla Slices Recipe