NANAIMO BARS

Filed under Desserts, Holidays

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

5 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup + 2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

2 1/2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding powder

2 cups powdered sugar

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate



Directions

Combine the sugar, cocoa and 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Stir until butter is melted and everything is well blended.  Remove from heat and quickly stir in beaten egg.  Stir in graham cracker crumbs, nuts and coconut.  Press mixture firmly into a lightly greased, 8-inch square pan.  Refrigerate for one hour.  Meanwhile, beat the milk, pudding powder, powdered sugar and 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Spread over chilled base.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.



Melt the chocolate with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.  Pour over bars and spread evenly.  Return to refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars.



Let's Dish

Until I married my Canadian husband, I'd never heard of Nanaimo bars.  As luck would have it, we spent the first five years of our marriage in Victoria, British Columbia, about an hour south of Nanaimo, the town these bars are named for.   Despite the name, these unique bars are popular all over Canada.  Since moving to the United States over 10 years ago, I've tried several Nanaimo Bar recipes.  This is the first one that actually tastes like the bars that were so readily available in every grocery store in Canada.  When we try to describe Nanaimo Bars to our friends here, we usually refer to all of the chocolate and butter.  How could you go wrong with that combination?  Now we can have Nanaimo Bars whenever the craving strikes!



Who Dished It Up First

Adapted from The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book.



Printable recipe