Nanaimo Bar Recipe
The Nanaimo bar is a bar dessert that requires no baking and is named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia.
It consists of three layers: a wafer, nut, and coconut crumb base; custard icing in the middle; and a layer of chocolate ganache on top.
RECIPE NOTES:
Break graham cracker sheets in half, add to the food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer to a bowl. To crush by hand place graham crackers in a gallon size resealable bag and crush using a rolling pin.
Add the almonds and pulse in short bursts until chopped very small, transfer to bowl with the graham crackers. Almonds can also be chopped fine by hand.
I even like to also chop up the coconut until it’s about half the original size in the food processor, though this is optional.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Bottom Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced into pieces
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 Teaspoons heavy cream
2 Tablespoons Bird’s custard powder, or (1/4 cup powdered milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla)
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
Top Layer:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 Teaspoons unsalted butter
DIRECTIONS ON NANAIMO BAR RECIPE
Grease an 8 by 8-inch baking dish by butter. Line with parchment paper, set aside.
For the first layer:
Melt butter in large heat proof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water set over medium-low heat. Remove from heat.
Add in sugar, cocoa powder and salt and whisk until well combined. While whisking vigorously, very slowly pour in beaten egg in a thin stream.
Return mixture to heat and cook until mixture has just thickened.
Remove from heat and add in graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and almonds and toss until evenly coated.
Press mixture into prepared baking dish. Chill while preparing the filling, bottom layer shouldn’t be warm when adding the custard frosting layer.
For the second layer:
If you are using the custard powder option then simply add powdered sugar, butter, custard powder and 2 teaspoons heavy cream to mixer fit with paddle attachment.
Whip until very pale and fluffy while adding another 1 Tbsp cream to thin if needed.
If you are using the powdered milk option, add 1/4 cup powdered milk and 3 tablespoons heavy cream to the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
Whisk vigorously to dissolve powdered milk. Add in butter, powdered sugar and vanilla, set mixer with paddle attachment and beat mixture until very light and fluffy.
Spread mixture into an even layer over bottom layer. Chill preferably in the freezer while melting chocolate to prevent warm chocolate from melting the layer.
TRY OTHER RECIPES
FRENCH CANADIAN TOURTIERE RECIPE
MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE,BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.kjv