Caramel Custard Slice
Did you know that you can purchase fertile chicken eggs and get them shipped quite literally halfway across the country via Australia Post? In fact, I’m sure you’d be able to get them sent across the entire expanse of Australia - coast to coast - if you were so inclined. But that would be just silly now wouldn’t it?
Almost every year since the time my husband and I came back to Boullia Station I’ve done just this. Found a willing online seller offering 2 dozen eggs of the fattest, fluffiest breed of chicken you can imagine and had them box them up and drop them off into the merciful hands of their local AusPost employee. And would you believe it - although quietly as to not jinx future me - I’ve not had a single broken egg. Unhatched ones, yes. But broken - not a single one!
I’ll indulge you in a story of a “unboxing” of my first ever postal eggs which just so happened to be 2 dozen beautiful Australorp eggs. I had tracked these eggs for days. Straight from the chickens bum, to their local post office, across QLD borders into NSW…
..and then eventually into SA later that night…
..And then back to NSW again… for whatever reason..
Before finally arriving at my local post office in Broken Hill to be picked up and delivered to me on a Thursday. Our mail day and quite possibly the best day of the week.
I was so excited and nervous upon opening the parcel that my brain momentarily lost connection with my fingers and allowed the very first egg I picked up drop to the table with a single excruciating - thud. Not a bounce, not a roll. Just a guttural thud that matched the sound of my heart hitting the floor the moment I picked up the egg and saw the crack. Not one of my finest moments - I’ll be the first to admit.
Fast forward 3 hours of scouring the internet for advice from a posy of fellow chicken enthusiasts saw said egg be adorned with a smear of bright blue candle wax. Another 3 weeks later - a sweet little black Australorp emerged - with a seemingly uncanny fascination with naked flames and blueberries.
Caramel Custard Slice
Ingredients
- 250g Arnott's Nice biscuits - or plain biscuit of choice
- 125g unsalted butter - melted
- 50g unsalted butter
- 395g (1 tin) condensed milk
- 2tbsp golden syrup
- 250ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 180ml (3/4 cup) thickened cream
- 30g unsalted butter
- 2tsp vanilla extract
- 70g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
- 2tbsp cornflour
- 3 egg yolks
- 125g Arnott's Malt-o-Milk biscuits
- 180g milk chocolate - melted
- 60g hazelnuts - chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 23cm x 33cm (or closest to) slice tin with baking paper. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse the Nice biscuits into fine crumbs before adding the melted butter – pulsing again until the mixture resembles wet sand and can hold its shape when pressed. Press evenly into the slice tin using a flat-bottomed measuring cup to smooth and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan add butter, condensed milk and golden syrup. Heat gently until the mixture is smooth before pouring evenly over base. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the caramel is golden brown.
- In a medium saucepan (you can wash and dry the caramel one) pour in the milk, cream, butter, vanilla and caster sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally.
- Meanwhile in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornflour. Pour the simmering milk mixture slowly into the egg yolks – whisking consistently. Once all the milk has been added, pour back into saucepan and continue to whisk over medium heat until mixture is a thick custard. Pour over caramel layer and allow to cool slightly for 5 mintues.
- Gently press the Malt-o-Milk biscuits into the custard – leaving a 5-10mm boarder around the sides of the slice tin. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the slice to set.
- Remove from the tin and slice off the exposed edges of custard. Using the biscuits as a guide, cut up the remaining slice and place pieces on a tray in the fridge for 20 minutes. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle hazelnuts over the top of each slice to finish.