Nanaimo bars are a beloved Canadian dessert, known for their combination of chocolate, custard and coconut flavors. The classic recipe features a chocolate graham cracker crumb crust, a creamy custard filling and a layer of rich chocolate ganache. There are many variations on the traditional recipe, but all Nanaimo bars share a few key ingredients and techniques. In this article, we will explore the history and origins of Nanaimo bars, and provide a guide to help you find the best recipe for your next baking project, whether you are a novice or an experienced baker. We will cover the different types of Nanaimo bars, the essential ingredients and tools you will need, and provide tips and tricks for achieving the perfect texture and flavor.
Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!
NANAIMO BARS III
Because it's three layers, this sounds hard but it's worth it. My son is famous for making and taking these in to work. I've heard other names but here in the Northwest everyone knows them as Nanaimo bars. They are sold on British Columbia Ferries and at coffee stands. If you can't find custard powder, I've used instant pudding mix with good results.
Provided by MARTHA J PAUL
Categories Desserts Cookies No-Bake Cookie Recipes
Time 30m
Yield 16
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- In the top of a double boiler, combine 1/2 cup butter, white sugar and cocoa powder. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Beat in the egg, stirring until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds (if you like). Press into the bottom of an ungreased 8x8 inch pan.
- For the middle layer, cream together 1/2 cup butter, heavy cream and custard powder until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the bottom layer in the pan. Chill to set.
- While the second layer is chilling, melt the semisweet chocolate and 2 teaspoons butter together in the microwave or over low heat. Spread over the chilled bars. Let the chocolate set before cutting into squares.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 310.5 calories, Carbohydrate 34.1 g, Cholesterol 47.3 mg, Fat 19.6 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 2.8 g, SaturatedFat 11.2 g, Sodium 160.1 mg, Sugar 26.1 g
NANAIMO BARS
My mother taught me to make these rich, delicious bar cookies when I was young. Though I've tried many variations, I always come back to this old favorite.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 20m
Yield 3 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from the heat; blend in sugar, cocoa, vanilla, egg, crumbs and coconut. Also add nuts if desired. Press into a 9-in. square pan. In a small bowl, cream 1/4 cup butter, pudding mix, milk and sugar. Spread over crumb layer; chill. Melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter; spread over pudding layer. Chill before cutting into bars.
Nutrition Facts :
NANAIMO BARS
Provided by Food Network
Yield 16 bars
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with nonstick vegetable spray.
- For the Bottom Layer: In a dry bowl, set over barely simmering water, melt the 5 pats butter and 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate. Remove from the heat and stir in the Graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Pat the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan to form a crust. Bake for 9 minutes until set. Let cool to room temperature, then chill.
- For the Buttercream: Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes Slowly beat in the maple syrup and Grand Marnier. Spread over the cooled crust and chill for 20 minutes to set.
- For the Chocolate Glaze: In a dry bowl, set over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the vegetable shortening and corn syrup. Spread the chocolate glaze over the buttercream layer and chill for 5 more minutes. Cut into 2 by 2 inch bars
NANAIMO BARS I
These are a totally sinful concoction containing more calories than one would care to count. A decadent dessert! Will satisfy any sweet tooth!
Provided by Shealeen
Categories Desserts Cookies No-Bake Cookie Recipes
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, white sugar, cocoa, egg and vanilla in a heavy sauce pan or double boiler. Stir over low heat until mixture is of custard like consistency.
- Combine graham crackers, coconut and walnuts and add to the melted mixture. Mix well and pack into buttered 9 inch square cake pan.
- Cream 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla custard powder and milk. Beat until creamy and spread over melted base.
- Refrigerate till hardened.
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter and drizzle over custard icing. Refrigerate. When totally hard cut into square bars.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 389.2 calories, Carbohydrate 46.8 g, Cholesterol 48.9 mg, Fat 22.6 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 3.8 g, SaturatedFat 12.1 g, Sodium 199 mg, Sugar 35.5 g
THE ORIGINAL NANAIMO BARS
Nanaimo Bars are a traditional Canadian bar cookie whose origins are in Nanaimo, British Columbia. My Mom used to make these when I was a child. She was from Canada & this is not your normal desert! Very rich and wonderful!
Provided by Starfire aka Wendy
Categories Bar Cookie
Time 30m
Yield 18 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- BOTTOM LAYER: Melt first 3 ingredients in top of a double boiler.
- Add egg and stir to cook and thicken Remove from heat.
- Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts.
- Press firmly into an ungreased 8 X 8 pan.
- SECOND LAYER: Cream butter, cream, custard powder and icing sugar together well.
- Beat until light.
- Spread over bottom layer.
- THIRD LAYER: Melt chocolate and butter over low heat.
- Cool
- When cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.
NANAIMO BARS
The Nanaimo bar is a tremendously sweet, no-bake layered bar cookie from Canada made almost exclusively of packaged ingredients. The buttercream layer gets its yellow hue from custard powder, a vital ingredient that makes this a true Nanaimo bar. Use an offset spatula to give the chocolate top a surface as smooth as freshly Zambonied ice. The novelist Margaret Atwood included this recipe, from the chef Susan Mendelson, in her "Canlit Foodbook," a fund-raising book that featured food from literature, as well as author recipes. Ms. Atwood prefers walnuts in this recipe, but any combination of walnuts, almonds or pecans will do. We've added a smidge more cocoa and the optional addition of salt - but leave it out for the true Nanaimo bar experience.
Provided by Sara Bonisteel
Categories cookies and bars, dessert
Time 2h
Yield 16 bars
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Line an 8-by-8-inch (20-by-20-centimeter) metal baking pan with parchment, allowing parchment to overhang by about 2 inches (5 centimeters) on two sides.
- Prepare the base: In a double boiler, or a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of boiling water, whisk butter with granulated sugar, egg, cocoa powder and vanilla until melted. Continue whisking until mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts until the mixture is well combined and resembles wet sand.
- Transfer mixture to the parchment-lined pan and use your fingers to press it into an even layer. Transfer pan to the refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add heavy cream and custard powder and mix until combined, scraping sides and bottom of the work bowl as needed. Add 1 cup confectioners' sugar and mix on low until incorporated. Add remaining confectioners' sugar and mix on low until combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl as needed, then mix on medium-high speed until smooth, light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove pan from refrigerator. Dollop the buttercream on top of the base layer then gently spread it evenly on top using an offset spatula. Transfer pan to the refrigerator to chill until buttercream is set, about 30 minutes.
- Prepare the topping: In a small, heavy saucepan or a double boiler, heat the chocolate and butter over low, stirring often, until melted and evenly combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Take pan from refrigerator and pour chocolate on top of buttercream layer. Working quickly and carefully, spread the chocolate evenly over the buttercream using an offset spatula. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if using.
- Return pan to refrigerator and chill until chocolate hardens, about 25 minutes.
- To serve the bars: Lift excess parchment to remove Nanaimo square from the pan. Cut into 16 2-inch (5-centimeter) squares. Store bars in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving. Store remaining bars in the refrigerator for a few days, or wrap well and freeze.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 344, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 35 grams, Fat 23 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 118 milligrams, Sugar 24 grams, TransFat 1 gram
NANAIMO BARS
Named after the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia, the first time this square was published under that name was in the early 1950's in the Vancouver Sun newspaper! This version of the original bar is from Company's Coming - 150 Delicious Squares! Later versions change the vanilla custard layer to mint or peanut butter but the original is my favourite. You can make this a day ahead of a special occasion or keep it in the freezer. I used to freeze half because I'm very weak & I would eat the whole thing myself BUT I soon discovered that it tastes good even when its frozen!
Provided by CountryLady
Categories Bar Cookie
Time 30m
Yield 36 squares
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- BOTTOM LAYER: Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler or heavy saucepan.
- Add egg & stir to cook & thicken.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in remaining ingredients& press firmly into an ungreased 9 x 9-inch pan.
- MIDDLE LAYER: Cream all ingredients together; beat until light.
- Spread over bottom layer.
- TOPPING: Melt chips & butter over low heat; cool.
- When cooled but still runny, spread over middle layer.
- Chill in refrigerator.
- Use a very sharp knife to cut into squares.
NANAIMO BARS
The Nanaimo bar is an easy, no-bake confection beloved by Canadians and perfect for potlucks and holiday parties.
Provided by Anthony Rose
Yield Makes 12 bars
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- For the base, first prepare a double boiler on your stove: Fill a large pot about a quarter full of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and place a heatproof bowl overtop. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
- In the double boiler, melt the butter, sugar, and cocoa powder, mixing regularly until smooth. Add the egg, stirring constantly until the mixture has just started to thicken a bit, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and salt.
- Line a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spoon the graham cracker mixture inside, press it down firmly and evenly, and refrigerate until solid, about 2 hours.
- For the creamy middle layer, in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until light and airy, about 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the milk, custard powder, salt, and icing sugar and mix on low speed until all the ingredients have been incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and whip until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Pour this creamy mix onto your solid base, make sure it's evenly spread out, and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
- For the chocolate topping, melt the chocolate and cream together in a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly. When the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and let rest for about 5 to 10 minutes. You want the temperature to come down but still keep the chocolate completely melted. Pour this over the cream layer and, using a rubber spatula, spread it out evenly. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
NANAIMO BARS
Need ideas for a coffee morning or afternoon tea? These bars from Canada are so moreish, with a crunchy biscuit base, custard layer and chocolate topping
Provided by Michelle Holmes
Categories Afternoon tea, Dessert, Treat
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Start by making the biscuit base. In a bowl, over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter with the sugar and cocoa powder, stirring occasionally until smooth. Whisk in the egg for 2 to 3 mins until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and mix in the biscuit crumbs, coconut and almonds if using, then press into the base of a lined 20cm square tin. Chill for 10 mins.
- For the middle layer, make the custard icing; whisk together the butter, cream and custard powder until light and fluffy, then gradually add the icing sugar until fully incorporated. Spread over the bottom layer and chill in the fridge for at least 10 mins until the custard is no longer soft.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave, then spread over the chilled bars and put back in the fridge. Leave until the chocolate has fully set (about 2 hrs). Take the mixture out of the tin and slice into squares to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 415 calories, Fat 29 grams fat, SaturatedFat 18 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 33 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 23 grams sugar, Protein 3 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium
CALGARY NANAIMO BARS
This version of Nanaimo bars may claim roots in Alberta, but the original was said to be dreamed up in a British Columbia kitchen. They're three delicious layers of Canadian goodness. -Carol Hillier, Calgary, Alberta
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 25m
Yield 3-1/2 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Line an 8-in. square baking pan with foil, letting ends extend over sides by 1 in. In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cocoa; add butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir until mixture reaches 160°. Remove from heat., Stir in cracker crumbs, coconut and, if desired, almonds. Press into prepared pan. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set., For filling, in a small bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, pudding mix, butter and milk until smooth; spread over crust., In a microwave, melt chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Spread over top. Refrigerate until set. Using foil, lift bars out of pan. Discard foil; cut into bars.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 116 calories, Fat 7g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 21mg cholesterol, Sodium 72mg sodium, Carbohydrate 14g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: Fresh, high-quality ingredients will make a big difference in the taste of your Nanaimo bars. Use real butter, pure vanilla extract, and good-quality chocolate.
- Chill the bars thoroughly before cutting: This will help them hold their shape and make them easier to cut. Chill the bars for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the bars: A sharp knife will give you clean, even cuts. If your knife is dull, you'll end up with ragged edges and crumbs.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator: Nanaimo bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the bars for up to 2 months.
Conclusion:
Nanaimo bars are a delicious and easy-to-make Canadian dessert. They're perfect for any occasion, from potlucks to bake sales. With their rich, chocolatey flavor and creamy custard filling, Nanaimo bars are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. So next time you're looking for a sweet treat, give Nanaimo bars a try. You won't be disappointed!
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