Grandma Chases Nanaimo Bars Recipes

BAKED-BOTTOM NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter an 8x8-inch square baking pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat unsalted butter with sugar with an electric mixer until very creamy, about 1 minute. Add the egg and cocoa powder, and beat until the ingredients are well mixed. Pour in the graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup coconut, and almonds, and beat on low speed until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, and let the crust cool.
• Melt chocolate chips with 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over very low heat, stirring until well blended. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for several minutes, then spread the chocolate mixture over the crust in a smooth layer. Refrigerate the dish while you make the next layer.
• Beat the pudding mix and milk in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until the pudding is thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Spread the pudding over the chocolate layer; sprinkle the dish with 1/4 cup coconut, cover loosely, and refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour.

NANAIMO BARS III

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.

EASY NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Grease a 9x9-inch square pan. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan over low heat, and stir in cocoa mix, vanilla extract, and egg. Whisk together until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute (do not boil); remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup coconut, and walnuts. Mix well, and press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill the crust for about 1 hour.
• Place the cream cheese into a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the milk, vanilla pudding mix, and confectioners' sugar to make a spreadable, creamy mixture. If mixture is too stiff to spread easily, add more milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Spread the filling in an even layer over the crust, and return to refrigerator. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt milk chocolate and 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Spread the topping evenly over the vanilla layer, and refrigerate about 1/2 hour, until the topping is firm but not hard. Cut into bars, then return to refrigerator to finish chilling, at least 1/2 hour more. Serve cold.

CHERRY NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup butter, white sugar, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir just until butter melts, about 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in beaten egg. Return pan to stove; cook and stir until cocoa mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
• Stir graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and walnuts into cocoa mixture. Press mixture firmly into an ungreased 9x9-inch baking pan.
• Beat 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, cherry juice, and almond extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; stir in cherries. Drop cherry mixture by spoonfuls over base layer, then spread evenly. Let cherry mixture layer stand until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Using your hand, pat cherry mixture layer to smooth.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over low heat; stir in chocolate chips. Cook and stir mixture until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour chocolate mixture over middle layer. Working quickly, smooth chocolate with the back of a spoon. Chill before cutting into bars, about 30 minutes.