Raspberry Vanilla Pastry

Description
Light flaky layers with some surprises between! Serves 10-12.

Ingredients

 * 2 tsp / 10 ml margarine
 * 1 lb / 450 g puff pastry
 * little flour
 * 2 oz / 50 g corn flour
 * 1 pint / 600 ml milk
 * 1 vanilla pod
 * 4 oz / 125 g caster sugar
 * 4 egg yolks
 * 4 oz / 125 g raspberry jam
 * 2 oz / 50 g raspberries
 * 8 oz / 225 g icing sugar

Directions

 * 1) Preheat the oven to Mark 7 / 425°F / 220°C, Grease 2 baking trays with margarine then sprinkle the trays with little water
 * 2) Roll out the pastry on lightly floured surface thin sheet, approximately 8 x 5in/20 x 15cm, trim the edges and prick the pastry all over with a fork.
 * 3) To achieve neat sized pieces of pastry, a cardboard template is useful when culling out.
 * 4) Cut the pastry into 14 pieces each 4 x 2½ in/10 x 6cm.
 * 5) Place on prepared trays, close but not touching, to ensure even cooking.
 * 6) Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden in colour.
 * 7) Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool.
 * 8) When cold split each pastry slice horizontally through the middle into 2 or even 3 layers if the pastry is very well risen and flaky.
 * 9) Dissolve cornflour in a little milk heat with vanilla and sugar bring to the boil turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes to infuse, remove vanilla.
 * 10) Whisk together the cornflour milk and egg yolks.
 * 11) Return to the pan and bring back to the boil cook gently stirring all the time, for about 2-3 minutes, or until thick.
 * 12) Cool custard thoroughly whisking occasionally to avoid a too thick, solid custard if necessary sieve the custard before use.
 * 13) Warm the jam slightly and mix in the raspberries halved cool the mixture.
 * 14) Slightly and spread over the bottom layer of pastry (reserve 1-2 tbsp / 15-30 ml for the topping) if you have only 2 layers of pastry spread the cold custard over the jam and then top with a final layer of pastry, if you have 3 layers spread the second pastry layer with custard and place on top of the first, top with the final pastry layer.
 * 15) Blend the icing sugar with sufficient water to give spreading consistency spread icing over the top layer of pastry.
 * 16) Sieve reserved jam and place in a very small paper piping bag,snip a little off the corner of the bag to give a small hole.
 * 17) Pipe the jam across the top of the pastry slices in 2 or 3 lines.
 * 18) Gently pull a knife across these lines from end to end twice this will give the pretty feathered or pulled effect.
 * 19) If you are not intending to serve the slices immediately store in a cool but not chilled place, or the pastry will go soggy.