Recipe: Nanaimo Bars

Since several people asked about it, I thought I would share the recipe for the Nanaimo bars.  They, um, aren't very, er, dietetic so make and eat at your own risk :).

NANAIMO BARS

Crust:

1 cup butter, cubed

1/2 cup sguar

2 oz. unsweeted chocolate, chopped

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 cups flaked coconut

1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and chocolate.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted.  Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the eggs (this is to temper them - if you tried to add them all at once, there is a very good chance they would scramble due to the heat of the saucepan).  Return all to the pan, whisking constantly.  Cook and stir over medium low heat until mixture appears combined.  Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla.

In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, flaked coconut and walnuts. Stir in chocolate mixture until blended. Press into greased pan (I used 13x9 Pyrex casserole pan) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until set.

Filling*:

(*I usually make a double batch of this to make sure it will spread over the entire crust.)

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 Tbsp. 2% milk

2 Tbsp. instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups confectioners sugar

For filling, in a large bowl, beat the butter, milk and pudding mix until blended.  Gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar until smooth; spread over crust. 

Topping:

I usually take some kind of pre-made sauce (chocolate, caramel, cajeta...) and slowly drizzle it over the filling.  You can also make a ganache and spread it over the filling as well.  Just make sure to let the ganache cool a little before you pour it over the filling.

If you're not serving this immediately, make sure to put it back into the fridge.