Next week some friends are coming over for lunch and to make cookies. I am working on trying to figure out what I want to make. I want something more unusual than chocolate chip cookies. My dear friend, Karen, from Canada gives us Nanaimo Bars every year. They are sinful and wonderful. I have even been known to hijack them off of the place, hide them and rearrange the place so you couldn't know they were gone. I decided it might be fun (albeit dangerous) to make my own. Below you will find several variations. The Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bar recipe comes from the foodtv.com. You can see a video on how to construct them on their site.
Now, I need to find two more recipes. Any suggestions?
Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bar Cookie
Cookie:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup cocoa 1 large egg, beaten 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut 1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
Peanut Butter Filling:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Chocolate Glaze:
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan or casserole with aluminum foil, with long flaps hanging over each edge.
For the cookie:
Put the butter in a heatproof medium bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer over medium-low heat. Set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Once the butter is melted, add the sugar and cocoa, and stir to combine. Add the egg and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until warm to the touch and slightly thickened (it should be about the consistency of hot fudge), about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in graham crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press the dough firmly into the prepared pan. (Save the pan of water for melting the chocolate.)
For the filling:
Beat the butter, peanut butter and confectioners' sugar together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light. Spread over the cookie and freeze while you prepare the chocolate glaze.
For the glaze:
Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl, and set over the barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. (Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.). When cool but still runny, pour the chocolate layer over the chilled peanut butter layer and carefully smooth out with an offset spatula. Freeze 30 minutes.
To serve, remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Pull out of the pan using the foil flaps and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife. Serve cool or at room temperature.
Busy baker's tips: Finished bars can be wrapped in the pan in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month.
Nanaimo Bar Recipe - Traditional
Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut
Melt first 3 ingredients in top of 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
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar
Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.
Third Layer
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.
Orange Nanaimo Bars Recipe
Bottom Layer
2 cups Graham wafer crumbs1 cup Coconut, unsweetened, flaked1/2 cup Pecans; toasted, chopped2/3 cup Butter1/3 cup Cocoa powder; unsweetened sifted1/4 cup Sugar, granulated1 Egg; beaten
Grand Marnier Layer
2 cups Icing Sugar1/4 cup Butter; softened1/4 cup Grand Marnier;or orange liqueur1 tablespoon Orange rind; coarsely grated
Chocolate Topping
1 tablespoon Butter4 ounces Semisweet chocolate; melted
In bowl, stir together crumbs, coconut and pecans. In small saucepan, gently heat butter, cocoa and sugar until butter melts. Remove from heat; whisk in egg. Blend into crumb mixture. Press into greased 9 inch square cake pan. Bake in 350F oven for 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
Grand Marnier Layer: In bowl, place half of icing sugar with butter, mix in half of the icing sugar with butter; mix in Grand Marnier, remaining icing sugar and orange rind. Spread over base.
Chocolate Topping: Stir butter into chocolate until melted; spread evenly over Grand Marnier layer. Let cool for 20 minutes in refrigerator; cut into bars. (Bars can be covered, refrigerated up to 2 weeks, or frozen up to 2 months. Let soften slightly before serving.
Cherry Almond Nanaimo Bars
From Canadian Living Magazine, September 1988, adapted from the Captain Kennedy Tea House Cookbook, by the Captain Kennedy Tea House in Lockport, Manitoba.
Base
1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. cocoa
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 c. chopped almonds, toasted
In heavy saucepan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and egg until thickened and smooth, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. (or, in microwave-safe bowl, cook same ingredients, whisking every 30 seconds, at 50% until thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes) Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Add graham cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds. Pat firmly and evenly into greased 9" square pan. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Filling
2 c. sifted icing sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/3 c. chopped maraschino cherries
In bowl, using electric mixer, beat together icing sugar, butter, cherry juice and almond extract until smooth. Stir in cherries. Spread over bottom layer. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Glaze
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp. butter
In top of double boiler over hot not boiling water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. (or melt chocolate with butter in microwave at 50% for 3 minutes, stirring once) Spread over filling. Cover and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Bars can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen several months if well wrapped.
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