I made these vanilla custard slices from Edd Kimber in August and we loved them — they’re like a rustic Napoleon or mille-feuille with a fraction of the fuss — but we called them “not August food” and better saved for December because they feel elegant and a little festive. But now it’s December and sometimes I know it feels like we need a jeweler’s loupe to find any of this promised festiveness. There are essays about how sad this holiday season promises to be. There are articles about what a dark winter we’re in for. There are dire warnings about overstretched health care systems. Look I’m not responsible for anything — even my own children don’t listen to me — but I hereby give us permission to not read any of these articles. Real life can be boring enough; we have absolutely no moral obligation to absorb any more of it.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
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 everydaygourmettv | 2022-08-30 06:30:14 |  20,242 Views |
Vanilla custard with passion fruit glaze | EG12 Ep52
Instead I’ve been keeping a log of things I consider mood enhancers. This past weekend we went to a museum for the first time since winter and then to an aquarium. The weekend before that we walked Brighton Beach and picked up some dumplings to take home. I spent some money on some votive candles that I’ve always loved and gave them to others and filled them with a candle since the sun sets at about 2:30 now. We have vases and jars full of knots of these stringy lights. We’re “making” Chanukah candles like we do every year. We’re baking jars full of molasses cinnamon and ginger. We’re making decanters of Irish cream and thinking of ways to give them to friends. I’m trying to bury myself in books but I liked the last book I read so much that I might read it again (permission granted). We’re going to cut snowflakes. We're going to ignore my husband's protests and watch some horrible-awesome holiday movies.
What I mean is that I don’t think we should wait for the festivities to descend upon us but rather get cracking in the kitchen and baking up these delicious squares. They’re from Kimber’s — the first winner of The Great British Bake Off — latest cookbook which celebrates “One Tin Bakes: Sweet and simple traybakes pies bars and buns” — simple creative perfectly executed desserts that only require one 9×13 tin [not that I’ve been listening]. The custard slice is a childhood favorite of his twin brother — “a thick layer of bright yellow custard sandwiched between two layers of puff pastry.” He leaves out the icing that usually tops it because he thinks it just adds sweetness and no flavor and so do I. I didn’t realize when I moved this to December that it would be so timely after it recently took center stage on an episode of The Great British Bake-Off — they’re so British. But since this isn't GBBO we can buy our cake and not make it and have more than two hours to finish it. I like to leave it in the fridge overnight for a clean slice the next day.
* This week the New Yorker features an interview with me. * Over at The Kitchn I teamed up with 15 other bakers to donate a Cookie of 2020 that’s both a great shipping treat and a decadent way to end this long year. * As a fundraiser for In Good Taste NYC I created a “NYC Starter Pack” featuring some of my favorite local small businesses. You can donate through 12/5 for a chance to win it or one of the other starter packs from way cooler people.
