Our family has been eating these delicious and famously Canadian bars for years, usually at Christmas time. They hail from the city of Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia which is Canada’s most westerly province.
Authentic Nanaimo Bars
2015-09-14 10:01:54
Authentic Nanaimo Bars - also known as Prayer Bars, and historically London Fog Bars, Mabel's Squares and Chocloate Fridge Cake
Prep Time
30 min
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
1058g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 5000
Calories from Fat 2723
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 314g
483%
Saturated Fat 176g
881%
Trans Fat 7g
Polyunsaturated Fat 26g
Monounsaturated Fat 93g
Cholesterol 735mg
245%
Sodium 2632mg
110%
Total Carbohydrates 560g
187%
Dietary Fiber 29g
117%
Sugars 448g
Protein 35g
Vitamin A
132%
Vitamin C
2%
Calcium
32%
Iron
86%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Bottom Layer
- 1/2 cup salted butter, diced into pieces
- 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or almonds (I used pecan cookie pieces)
- Filling
- 1/3 cup salted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp custard powder or vanilla/white chocolate instant pudding mix
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Top Layer
- 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 Tbsp salted butter
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Remove from heat, add in brown sugar and cocoa powder and whisk until nicely combined.
- Whisk vigorously and as you do that slowly drizzle in a beaten egg.
- Put mixture on heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it has thickens.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla bean (or vanilla extract).
- Pour graham crackers, coconut, and ground walnuts (you can substitute pecans) and toss until evenly coated. Press mixture into a buttered 8 by 8-inch or 9 by 9-inch baking dish.
- Cover with plastic wrap, place in freezer for 20 minutes or refrigerate for 40 minutes.
- In a bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, whip together butter, heavy cream and custard powder until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in powdered sugar and blend until mixture is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute (mixture will seem dry at first will start to become creamy).
- Pour mixture into an even layer over chilled graham cracker base.
- Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate along with butter in a heat proof bowl, set over a pot of simmering water.
- Spread mixture into an even layer over filling layer, cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes until chocolate has set.
- Cut into squares, store in an airtight container.
- Eat! Then repeat!
Notes
- If you use Culinary Hipster's Madagascar Vanilla Beans, consider that you'll get 3 tsp of pure vanilla from one bean. So use 1/3 of a bean in place of 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.
Adapted from Adapted with our family technique from The Joy of Baking
Adapted from Adapted with our family technique from The Joy of Baking
Gourmet Recipes from Culinary Hipster http://culinaryhipster.com/
