Recipe for pudding slices | Cooking with Nana Ling

This super easy custard slices recipe uses SAO cookies as the “pastry” layers – pssst, don’t tell anyone!

The recipe for SAO Custard Slice

This is a recipe that our grannies have had in the back of their minds for a while.

My father remembers his mother making it a lot when he was younger.

While I can’t remember this piece exactly, once I started eating it, I felt like I’d eaten it before. Maybe our taste buds have a memory of their own!

As I mentioned earlier, it’s super easy to make – There’s the two SAO layers, a custard layer in between, and a simple vanilla frosting on top.

Ingredients for the vanilla pudding piece

All ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

However, here I’ll go through the ingredients to give you an idea of ​​what you might need to add to your shopping list:

• SRH
• milk
• pudding powder
• Sugar
• butter
• vanilla extract
• powdered sugar.

What is an SRH?

It is a cracker cookie created by Arnott’s in 1906.

The Australian Food Timeline explains the thinking surrounding the name: “While some reports say they are named after a boat, it is widely believed that SAO stands for Salvation Army Officer. This was in honor of William Arnott’s son Arthur who joined the Salvation Army.”

As a snack or light lunch, SAOs are regularly topped with cheese and tomato or Vegemite.

However, here we are making a piece of custard!

How to make a piece of vanilla pudding

you need one 23 x 23 cm square cake or baking pan.

Grease the mold and line with baking paper. Leave excess parchment paper on the sides to lift the disc out after baking.

First, lay the SAOs on the bottom of the tray to make a complete layer (trim the SAOs to fit if necessary).

Next, add all but 1/2 cup of the milk to a saucepan and heat until almost boiling.

Mix the vanilla pudding powder, sugar and remaining milk and place in a saucepan just before the milk boils. Whisk over heat for a few minutes until the cream thickens.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.

Allow the custard mixture to cool for a few minutes before pouring it onto the SAO cookies.

Top with another layer of SAO biscuits. Re-trim the SAOs to fit if necessary.

Place in the fridge to set.

Once cool, mix together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract for the vanilla icing and brush the slice with the icing. Spread the glaze with the back of a spoon to get an even layer of glaze.

Place back in the fridge and let set for at least a few hours, ideally overnight.

Before serving, dust with powdered sugar if you like.

Your custard slice should keep in the fridge for a few days, but is best consumed within 12-24 hours.

Christmas vanilla pudding slice

This is a great recipe for Christmas. So easy, but you can make it look festive with some sprinkles and some holly.

More recipes you will love

If you like this recipe, you might also like my Easy Vanilla Slice, Trifle, Bread and Butter Pudding, Chester Cake, Chinese Chews, and Weetbix Marshmallow Slice recipes.