To all my Canadian bakers out there, Happy Canada Day!!!
In my mind, there is nothing quite as Canadian as a Nanaimo Bar and I wanted to represent for Canada and make some Nanaimo Bars today to celebrate Canada's Birthday :)
In my mind, there is nothing quite as Canadian as a Nanaimo Bar and I wanted to represent for Canada and make some Nanaimo Bars today to celebrate Canada's Birthday :)
For those of you who don't know what a Nanaimo Bar is, it's a bar composed of a nutty chocolate layer then a custard layer and topped off with chocolate. Put together it is delicious and oh so Canadian. These are the type of thing that I can eat 5 of in a row...just ask any member of my family whose seen me devour them at family picnics!!
I read Bree from bakedbree.com's Nanaimo Bar Recipe a while ago and have been dying to give it a try and thought when if not on Canada day? I love this recipe too for summer because it's a no-bake which I always appreciate when it's hot outside! I made a few adjustments to the recipe but her recipe was delicious and they turned out to be some of the best Nanaimo bars I've ever had!!
I read Bree from bakedbree.com's Nanaimo Bar Recipe a while ago and have been dying to give it a try and thought when if not on Canada day? I love this recipe too for summer because it's a no-bake which I always appreciate when it's hot outside! I made a few adjustments to the recipe but her recipe was delicious and they turned out to be some of the best Nanaimo bars I've ever had!!
Nanaimo Bars
Recipe from Bakedbree.com
Makes a 9x9 pan, cut into about 25 pieces
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 egg, beaten
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Custard Layer
21/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp custard powder
Chocolate Topping
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
Method
1. Line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper
2. Starting with the bottom layer, melt together the butter, brown sugar and cocoa powder. I just did it in the microwave at 1/2 power, ensuring to stir at regular intervals.
3. Quickly stirring, add in the egg until fully incorporated
4. Add the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and walnuts. This took a while to mix in for me but keep going and it will fully incorporate.
5. Press this layer into the lined pan, and ensure that it is flat. I found that this layer was too high so in the future I might not put it all in or make less.
6. Put this into the fridge to set for half an hour.
Recipe from Bakedbree.com
Makes a 9x9 pan, cut into about 25 pieces
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
4 Tablespoons cocoa
1 egg, beaten
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Custard Layer
21/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup softened butter
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp custard powder
Chocolate Topping
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
Method
1. Line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper
2. Starting with the bottom layer, melt together the butter, brown sugar and cocoa powder. I just did it in the microwave at 1/2 power, ensuring to stir at regular intervals.
3. Quickly stirring, add in the egg until fully incorporated
4. Add the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and walnuts. This took a while to mix in for me but keep going and it will fully incorporate.
5. Press this layer into the lined pan, and ensure that it is flat. I found that this layer was too high so in the future I might not put it all in or make less.
6. Put this into the fridge to set for half an hour.
7. For the custard layer, cream together the butter with the powdered sugar and custard powder. (This looked really crumby/powdery for me at first so I was worried but it comes together when you add the cream. )
8. Add the cream slowly and continue to beat until light and airy. It was a really hot day here I was so my custard buttercream would not get the air I wanted it to but I added extra sugar to stabilize it and it ended up turning out fine!
8. Add the cream slowly and continue to beat until light and airy. It was a really hot day here I was so my custard buttercream would not get the air I wanted it to but I added extra sugar to stabilize it and it ended up turning out fine!
9. Spread this onto the base layer and put back in fridge to cool for another half an hour
10. Now for the final layer!! Melt the butter and chocolate together, pour over the custard and spread evenly. Ensure that the custard is pretty hard and set before you do this, or you will end up smudging parts of the custard into the glaze!
11. Once again, put this back into the fridge until it sets
10. Now for the final layer!! Melt the butter and chocolate together, pour over the custard and spread evenly. Ensure that the custard is pretty hard and set before you do this, or you will end up smudging parts of the custard into the glaze!
11. Once again, put this back into the fridge until it sets
12. Cut up into around 25 pieces and try not to eat all at once!!!
I went out to watch the fireworks with my friends and came back to find that more than half had been eaten by my parents!! So I think I will have to make another batch very soon! They really are THAT delicious and addictive!
Hope you all had a Happy Canada Day!! :)
Hope you all had a Happy Canada Day!! :)