Nanaimo Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process cocoa preferred
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup sweetened or unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (made from about 13 whole crackers)
Filling
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if you use salted butter)
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar or glazing sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/8 teaspoon coconut flavor
- 2 tablespoons Pastry Cream Filling mix or instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 tablespoons milk
Icing
- 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate (Belcolade bittersweet disks are good) or semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2 tablespoons butter
Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 9" or 11" x 7" pan.
2) To make the crust: Place all of the crust ingredients in a mixing bowl, and beat at medium speed just until thoroughly combined.
3) Press the mixture into the prepared pan, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and set it aside to cool.
4) To make the filling: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla, beating until smooth.
5) In a small bowl, combine the pastry cream filling mix or instant vanilla pudding mix with the milk, stirring until thick and smooth.
6) Add the pudding mix to the butter/sugar mixture, stirring to combine.
7) Add the remaining sugar, and beat until the filling is smooth. Spread it over the cooled crust, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.
8) To make the icing: Combine the chocolate and cream (or butter) in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Heat until the cream is steaming. Stir until smooth.
9) Spread the frosting onto the bars. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set.
10) Cut into small bars or rectangles to serve. The bars will be very stiff when cold, but will soften quickly at room temperature.
Yield: about 25 small, rich bars.
Reviews
01/13/2012- I first discovered these amazing bars when I was working in a local bakery. They always sold out and were a hit with almost all the customers. I decided to try them and this is hands down the BEST RECIPE I have ever found for this delectable treat. This is great for people who need to make a dessert but want it to be slow and easy!
- 01/02/2012
- According to my Canadian husband, these are delicious, but he had the following (Canadianly polite) critiques: try for less crust, more filling/chocolate, for a 1:1:1 ratio. I personally didn't add the second cup of confectioner's sugar, as the filling was plenty sweet without it. Maybe up the butter and vanilla? And lastly, I will have to have my MiL send Bird's Custard from the homeland, unless KAF starts to carry it (HINT HINT). The crust made the house smell bonkers good. I'll make these again and just live with the fact that I have to buy new fat clothes.
- 12/27/2011
- These bars are unbelievable! I don't care what they're called - all ingredients were easy to find and it was easy to make. My family LOVED them and asked when I am going to make them again. I didn't have a 9" square pan so I used the 8' pan I had. I was worried they might be too thick, but I thought it worked well. I will be making these again soon. Another winner by KAF!
- 10/06/2011
- Love Nanaimo bars!! I've been making the same recipe since the 1950s. It's not quite authentic--no custard powder--but it's absolutely delicious (provided you like sweet and rich) and I usually have all the ingredients in the house. Here's a link to my blog post about nanaimo bars. The recipe is included. http://margaretfrench.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/nanaimo-bars-canadas-contribution-to-world-cuisine/
- 08/27/2011
- I made these with my daughter last night. The recipe was easy to follow and most of the ingredients were things most people have on hand. They were delicious! They definitely should be chilled overnight in order to cut and serve them from the pan. We had to try them when they were not quite chilled through last night. Not as pretty as they are today, but delicious anyway. I will definitely make these again.
- 08/26/2011
- I have not yet made this recipe, but found the previous poster's comments to be very harsh. I went on-line and looked up Nanaimo Bars and found a very similar recipe on the Joy of Baking website. It explained how several years ago, the city had a contest and people submitted their version of this recipe. In addition, it also mentioned how difficult it was to get custard powder in the US and suggested the use of pudding. I am planning to make the KAF recipe this evening with my daughter who wants to be a pastry chef when she finishes high school. I will let you know how they come out!
- 06/29/2011
- I cannot tell you how much this "recipe" has my blood boiling. I don't usually let things like this bother me, I skip it off as being ignorance, not knowing the true facts, but this one got to me to much. This Nanaimo bar recipe posting takes top prize in debasing an original recipe.
I lived in Nanaimo for years. I've made the original Nanaimo bar recipe for so many years I couldn't count them. This recipe is NOT a true Nanaimo bar recipe. It is so far off, it's rediculous.. Shame on KA for posting this is recipe as Nanaimo bars, without stating it is 'your idea, your take' of the true Nanaimo bars.
There is NO baking required for the first layer. There is no dutch process cocoa called for in the first layer, its regular cocoa. Dutch will make the first layer taste bitter.
There is no dumping all the first layer ingredients in the pot and cooking the mixture to-gether.
The butter, sugar, egg and cocoa are cooked over a double boiler till it resembles a custard, THEN the crumb mixture is added to the hot mixture and stirred in.
Nanaimo bars are a NO BAKE recipe, hence the popularity of the recipe.
There is NO pastry cream filling called for in the second layer nor is there instant pudding?? If KA is going to add a recipe from another country, PLEASE state that the recipe you have added is your adaptation of the original recipe. Also, a link to the original Nanaimo bar recipe would be the proper thing to do.
Thank you for your honest feedback. Please know that our intention is never to insult or hurt anyone with the recipes and adaptations we post; we checked out many versions of the Nanaimo Bar online, including one from the mayor of Nanaimo himself; and we did guess at a substitution for "custard powder," (difficult to obtain in this country); and we picked Dutch-process cocoa, since the mayor's recipe didn't specify what type of cocoa. At any rate, recipes definitely do adapt and evolve over time, so what is traditional to one may be vastly different to what is traditional to another. Our goal is to inspire bakers to try new recipes, new techniques and new combinations while still keeping ties to the originals. Again, we thank you for sharing your views. And please post a link to the original recipe, if you'd like, so our readers can enjoy it if they wish. MJR @ KAF
