British Columbia’s Nanaimo Bars

Why not celebrate this fall by cooking up some tasty treats?  The Nanaimo bar is a Canadian delicacy and everyone’s favourite!  Originating in Nanaimo, this British Columbian dessert is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.  Being pretty easy to make due to is ‘no bake’ method, we are pretty confident that anybody can whip these up!  Enjoy the soft custard filling and the biscuit base, paired with the melted chocolate topping – sound yummy?  You bet!

We’ve found this awesome, simple recipe for Classic Nanaimo Bars from Canadian Living and thought we would share:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup finely chopped walnut
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter melted
• 1 egg lightly beaten

Filling:

• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 2 tablespoons custard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (approx)

Topping:

• 4 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter

METHOD

In bowl, stir together graham crumbs, coconut, walnuts, cocoa powder and sugar. Drizzle with butter and egg, stirring until combined.

Press into parchment paper–lined 9-inch (2.5 L) square cake pan. Bake in 350F (180C) oven until firm, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack.

Filling: In bowl, beat together butter, custard powder and vanilla. Beat in icing sugar alternately with milk, making 3 additions of sugar and 2 of milk and adding up to 1 tsp more milk if too thick to spread. Spread over cooled base. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Topping: In heatproof bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with butter; spread over filling. Refrigerate until chocolate is almost set, about 30 minutes. 

With tip of knife, score into bars; refrigerate until chocolate is completely set, about 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days or overwrap in foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.) Cut into bars. 

This recipe was taken from Canadian Living, all credit goes to them.  Please see their website for more delicious recipes.