Mahalabia Vanilla Slice

In a large saucepan, combine the milk, thickened cream, caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla extract, and the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean.

Stir continuously over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and keep stirring until it thickens, Once thickened, allow it to boil for another minute or so. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cool slightly.

To prevent a skin from forming, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the Mahalabia. Allow it to cool slightly, then refrigerate until it full sest.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).

Puff pastry usually rises more evenly if you let it thaw completely before baking—that’s how I like to do mine. But if you bake it straight from frozen, it can still puff beautifully (my sister-in-law swears by this method!).

Brush the pastry lightly with an egg wash, then bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Keep an eye on it towards the end, as ovens may vary.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool

Once the pastry is cool, use a small, sharp knife to carefully cut along the natural lines of the pastry sheet to remove the top layer. If it breaks, it’s fine as long as the bottom layer remains intact. Set the top layer aside.

Lightly beat the set Mahalabia filling until it’s creamy but not smooth—this makes it easier to assemble later. You can do this by hand or with an electric beater, but take care if using the electric beater not to over-mix. If the filling becomes too smooth, it can lose its structure and flop when layered.

Spread the Mahalabia filling evenly over the bottom pastry layer.

Crush the reserved top pastry layer into small crumbs and sprinkle over the filling. Garnish with toasted shaved almonds and dust with icing sugar before serving.

A FEW THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW

Do I need to egg wash the puff pastry?
I always give mine a light egg wash — it comes out glossy and golden. My sister-in-law skips it, and hers still turns out beautiful. So it’s really up to you.

Why didn’t my pastry rise at 180°C?
If your oven isn’t powerful or runs a little cooler (common with older ovens), the pastry might not puff properly at 180°C. In that case, turn your oven up to 200°C. That extra heat will help it rise.

What if my puff pastry breaks?
Don’t worry! If the top layer cracks or breaks, that’s completely fine — you’ll be breaking it up anyway to scatter over the slice. The only part that matters is the base staying intact, because that’s what holds everything together.

Can I reduce the sugar in the filling?
Yes, but don’t cut it down too much. If you use only half a cup, the slice just won’t taste sweet enough. Three-quarters of a cup works if you prefer it less sweet.

How long should the filling set?
The filling needs time — at least four hours in the fridge to firm up. You can make it the day before, or in the morning if you’re serving it at night.

What do you mean by “gently beat the filling”?
When you beat the set Mahalabia, you want it just creamy — not silky smooth. It should look a little lumpy, like in my photos. Those lumps are what give the filling its thickness and help the slice hold its height. If you beat it until smooth, it will flop and won’t stack up properly.