Nanaimo Bars

For some reason, I’ve been fixated one Nanaimo Bars recently. I have specific memories of loving them when I was a kid, and having them around at Christmas time along with various other sweets and baked fare.

So, I made some.

Holy fuck, them shits are riiiiiiiiich yo! It’s no wonder I loved them as a kid, I probably won’t sleep for 8 days after having a couple of them. I’m hovering right now, as if sitting cross legged on an invisible flying carpet… I think Rain anchored me with chain or something.

… As you can tell, I’m more of a savory fan than a sweet one. I can have meat, cheese and the like for days on end and not bat an eye, but I’m usually a one cupcake and that’s it kinda gal.

If you have a serious sweet tooth, though? This is definitely the recipe for you. They’re lovely, but MAN… I can see through time right now.

Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients (base layer)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Ingredients (middle layer – icing)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 tbsp cream or milk
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• 2 cups icing sugar

Ingredients (top layer)

• 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp butter

Method

1. Melt 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup white sugar, and 5 tbsp cocoa powder in a double boiler, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Beat the egg in a bowl, then add it to dissolved mixture in the double boiler, stirring until thickened.
2. Remove from heat, stir in graham cracker crumbs, coconut and nuts (if using), then press firmly in to the bottom of an 8×8” pan.
3. For the second layer, cream together butter, cream (or milk), custard powder and icing sugar. Beat until light, then spread over the second layer smoothly, and as evenly as possible.
4. Melt together your chocolate and remaining butter, in a double boiler. Once melted, remove from heat, let cool slightly, then pour over second layer to form the final layer. Chill for a couple hours in the fridge, then score with a sharp knife to prevent the chocolate top from cracking and breaking when you cut your squares.

There you have it, home made speed in the form of a sugar packed little rectangle. So good, and yet, I now feel like cleaning the entire house while the rest of my family sleeps while listening to the soundtrack to Hackers.

After getting the Nanaimo bar thing out of my system, I’m now going to try my best to post fairly healthy recipes for the next while. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t eat poorly. We basically never have pre-packaged food, and we only ever really eat whole foods. Call me an elitist if you wish, but I like being in as much control as I can of what goes in to my body. There are ways to eat healthy and not have it taste like you’ve just wrung out somebody’s sweaty jockstrap in to your mouth, you know.