kitchen corner: nanaimo bars!
If you have ever encountered this unbelievably delicious treat before, you are more than forgiven for salivating at the mere mention of the name… Nanaimo Bar! Anyone who has spent some time in my home county of Canada will be familiar with these guys: they’re something of a legendary Canadian sweet treat, and you’ll find them in just about every bakery or cafe worth its salt throughout the state of British Columbia and beyond. Originating in the city of Nanaimo in BC, Nanaimo Bars are the GREATEST chocolate no-bake square you’re likely to ever encounter. Seriously, I could wax lyrical about these sweet, decadent triple-layered bars for hours… My family celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving about a month ago, and my brother brought along a plate of Nanaimo Bars- they were devoured instantly and have been on my mind ever since! So I made a batch on the weekend, and… oh my! … You need to make some and then you’ll see exactly where I’m coming from.
So, without any further ado, here’s my favourite Nanaimo Bar Recipe, from the amazing Canadian Living cookbook that lives in my house. They’re really quite easy to make, and even easier to eat!
Nanaimo Bars
Ingredients:
Base
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 egg
2 cups graham wafer crumbs (Marie or Granita biscuit crumbs will work just as well)
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Filling
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp custard powder
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp milk
2 cups sifted icing sugar
Icing
90 grams semisweet chocolate
1 tbsp butter
Method:
Base
Mix together butter, sugar, cocoa, egg, biscuit crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Press into 9-inch (3.5L) square pan. Refrigerate while making filling. NOTE: you really do need to use a pan about this size: the base is supposed to be very thick, and if you use a larger pan you won’t have enough filling and icing mixture to go around!
Filling
Cream together butter, custard powder and vanilla. Gradually blend in milk and icing sugar alternatively. Spread filling mixture over base and chill well before icing.
Icing
Melt chocolate and butter together. Spread on chilled mixture and chill until chocolate sets. Cut into bars and enjoy!
A couple of handy hints: cut into squares before the bars are fully set, or you’ll probably have a little difficulty slicing them. Also, make sure you store the bars in the fridge (or the freezer, as my mum would suggest).
So there you have it folks: so sweet your teeth will ache, so good you’ll be dreaming about them for weeks. Nanaimo Bars are a perfect Christmas (or anytime!) treat, but make sure you share them: you’re likely to give yourself a cavity if you eat too many yourself!
Anna xx