The Baking Association of Australia held its annual Victorian Baking Show over the weekend in Bendigo, where it crowned winners in numerous categories dedicated to all kinds of breads, pastries and sweets.
A panel of judges sampled 590 baked goods from 143 Aussie bakeries over the two-day event. Australia’s best vanilla slice was awarded to Shepparton’s North End Bakehouse. The nostalgic Aussie treat (also known as a snot block – made official by the Australian National Dictionary) is defined by a thick slab of vanilla custard sandwiched between layers of crisp puff pastry and topped with icing sugar – North End’s version opts for glistening white fondant.
The Baking Association of Australia’s executive officer, Tony Smith, tells Broadsheet the judges were looking for a nice crisp pastry top and bottom (not too thick or gluggy), a soft (not thick) icing on top, and a smooth and creamy custard filling that’s still firm enough so it doesn’t run everywhere when you bite into it.
“The winner had all of these and the custard filling was amazing – it didn’t stick to the roof of your mouth. The judges were so impressed,” says Smith.
While North End Bakehouse didn’t get a gong this time for its hot cross buns (it won in 2021 and 2022), the regional bakery did score first place for best innovative hot cross bun for its Vegemite-flavoured bun (which will be available in-store in the coming weeks).
South Australian entrant Banana Boogie, in Belair in Adelaide’s south-eastern foothills, took out the title of Australia’s best hot cross bun. The bakery scored first (and second) place for its traditional buns (strictly fruit-filled).
McKinnon Village Bakery in Melbourne’s south-east took out best sausage roll this year. While last year’s supreme sausage roll winner Country Cob Bakery, which has stores in Kyneton, Boronia and Springvale, scored first place in the meat pie and gourmet pie categories – the latter for its scallop mornay pie. The bakery also scored second place for its vanilla slice.
