Nanaimo bars are a classic Canadian dessert, named after the city in British Columbia where they originated. These decadent treats are made with a three-layer filling of custard, a chocolate ganache, and a coconut layer. The custard layer is typically made with eggs, sugar, butter, milk, and flour, while the chocolate ganache is made with dark chocolate and cream. The coconut layer is made with coconut, graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Nanaimo bars are often decorated with a chocolate drizzle and toasted coconut. They are a popular dessert at potlucks, holiday gatherings, and other special occasions. In this article, we will walk you through the steps of making the original Nanaimo bars, ensuring that you create a delicious and authentic treat.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
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
ORIGINAL NANAIMO BARS
Original Nanaimo Bars-If you are looking for traditional Canadian Christmas baking this is the recipe. Easy and no Bake. And I did it my way... One and only Easy Nanaimo Bars
Provided by Cookie
Categories Desserts
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Line 9 x 9 inch square pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Set aside. In a medium size bowl add graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Then using a medium saucepan over low heat combine the butter, sugar,cocoa, egg until the mixture boils. Boil for 2 minutes and add vanilla extract. Remove from heat and stir graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Press the base into the prepared lined pan. Place into to fridge until firm (about 30 minutes). Making Yellow Custard Icing Using a mixing bowl combine custard powder and milk. Stir until smooth. Add icing sugar and butter. Mix using the whisk attachment for about 3 to 5 minutes. (high speed) Spread the filling evenly over the base and return to fridge of freezer while you make the topping or chocolate ganache. Top Layer - Chocolate Ganache Using a double boiler method melt 5 oz chocolate and butter. (or oil if you are using) Spread over the second layer. Refrigerate one more time for at least one hour. Then cut the Nanaimo Bars to your favorite size or shape. And you made it. The best traditional Canadian Nanaimo Bars.
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.
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.
AUTHENTIC NANAIMO BARS
This is THE original recipe from Joyce Hardcastle who won the Ultimate Nanaimo Bar Recipe contest in 1986; no variations, just the exact ingredients she used An offset spatula comes in handy for this. These are very rich and sweet, one small bar is enough! If you don't have Birds Eye custard powder it totally changes the taste and I wouldn't make it if there was non in the kitchen. Why make the original if you do not use the original recipe. A tin of this product lasts forever and is a nice topping for stale cakes or a nice warm bowl of real comfort food! Someone mentioned the crust was greasy....If the crust ingredients are added in order the crust has never been greasy. Or, add 1/4 cup extra graham cracker crumbs. The ratio of butter to the other ingredients isn't a lot. If you omit any crust ingredient and use the same amount of butter called for in the recipe it won't turn out the way it should. This is one recipe that should never be altered!
Provided by green_sleeves
Categories Bar Cookie
Time 1h15m
Yield 24 squares, 24 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Bottom Layer'.
- Melt first three ingredients in the top of a double boiler.
- Add egg when the butter and cocoa are warm (not hot) and stir hard to cook and thicken and not let the egg scramble .About 1 minute is good.
- 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.
- Once cool enough to not melt the middle layer, but still liquid, pour over second layer, tilt pan so it is evenly covered and chill in refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 225.1, Fat 15.3, SaturatedFat 9, Cholesterol 32.7, Sodium 45.8, Carbohydrate 21.9, Fiber 1.6, Sugar 16.8, Protein 2.1
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
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 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
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the bars will taste. Choose real butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, and pure vanilla extract.
- Don't overmix the batter: Overmixing will make the bars tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Chill the bars before cutting: This will help them hold their shape better.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator: They will keep for up to 2 weeks.
- Serve the bars chilled or at room temperature: They are delicious either way.
Conclusion:
Nanaimo bars are a classic Canadian dessert that is loved by people of all ages. They are easy to make and can be customized to your liking. With a few simple tips, you can make perfect Nanaimo bars every time. So what are you waiting for? Give this recipe a try today!
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