Photography by Rob Kinghorn
Food Styling by Claire Stubbs
Prop Styling by Jane Hardin
First published in Wish March 2006
Canadian | Baking | Chocolate | Cookies/Candy | Dessert | All categories...
food
Wish Nanaimo Bars
While these multi-layered goodies have many aliases, the City of Nanaimo, B.C., claims Nanaimo bars originated with a recipe contest 35 years ago. An enterprising citizen entered her recipe and added a dash of regional pride by naming the sweet treats after her hometown.
Ingredients (Makes 16 squares)
| 1/2 | cup unsalted butter |
| 1/4 | cup granulated sugar |
| 5 | tablespoons cocoa powder |
| 2 | teaspoons vanilla extract |
| 1 | egg beaten |
| 1-1/2 | cups graham wafer crumbs |
| 1/2 | cup finely chopped hazelnuts (or try pecans, walnuts or almonds) |
| 1 | cup finely shredded coconut |
Middle Layer
| 1/4 | cup unsalted butter |
| 2 | tablespoons milk |
| 1 | tablespoon 35% cream |
| 2 | tablespoons vanilla custard powder |
| 2 | cups icing sugar |
| 4 | ounces bittersweet chocolate |
| 2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
Instructions
- Melt first four ingredients in top of double boiler.
- Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat.
- Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into a greased 8" x 8" pan. Chill while you prepare the middle layer.
- Using an electric mixer, cream all ingredients together, beating well until light in colour.
- Spread evenly over chilled bottom layer. Place back into fridge to chill while top is being prepared.
- Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over a double boiler.
- Cool slightly – the chocolate should still be pourable.
- Spread gently over second layer so as not to mix the two layers together. Refrigerate until set.
Nutritional information
Nutrients per bar: 297 calories, 19 g fat, 4 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 1 g fibre, 94 mg sodium. Excellent source of vitamin D.
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gayle stevenson writes:
I got this exact recipe from a girl with whom I worked at the Forestry Service in Calgary, Alberta, in 1963! She made them for the staff for a Christmas Party.
When we moved to Terrace, B.C. I made them for our new friends and they had never heard of or tasted them before! I never knew why they were called "Nanaimo Bars"; it was a good name but the "original" name - "Black Top" seemed more pertinent! Still, I've always called them "Nanaimo Bars" and I put pepermint flavouring and green food colouring, and almond flavouring and red (pink) food colouring in the middle, for Christmas - this has been part of my annual "Christmas Baking" for over 40 years!
—posted April 12, 2008 at 3:05 p.m.
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