Nanaimo Bars

About This Recipe

Nanaimo bars are perhaps the most distinctively Canadian dessert, named after Nanaimo, a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The first printed recipe appeared in the Nanaimo Hospital Auxiliary Cookbook in 1952. These no-bake bars consist of three distinct layers: a dense base of Graham crackers, shredded coconut, cocoa powder and butter; a pale yellow custard buttercream centre made with custard powder; and a thin, glossy chocolate ganache topping. They are served chilled, sliced into small squares or rectangles. The city of Nanaimo held a contest in 1986 to find the definitive recipe.

Ingredients

Serves 16

• 115 gunsalted butter(for base)
• 50 gcaster sugar
• 5 tbspcocoa powder
• 1egg(beaten)
• 200 gGraham crackers or digestive biscuits(crushed)
• 100 gdesiccated coconut
• 60 gbutter(softened, for middle layer)
• 2 tbspdouble cream
• 2 tbspcustard powder
• 250 gicing sugar
• 150 gdark chocolate(for top)
• 2 tbspbutter(for ganache)

Instructions

1. 1

   Line tin

   Line a 20×20cm square tin with baking paper.

2. 2

   Make base

   Melt butter, sugar and cocoa in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, stir in beaten egg quickly. Add crushed crackers and coconut. Press firmly into tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Make middle layer

   Beat softened butter, cream and custard powder until smooth. Gradually beat in icing sugar until pale and fluffy. Spread evenly over base. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Make chocolate top

   Melt chocolate and butter together over a bowl of simmering water or in short microwave bursts. Cool slightly, then pour over middle layer and tilt to spread evenly. Refrigerate 1 hour until set.

5. 5

   Score and cut

   Score top layer with a hot knife before cutting fully — this prevents the chocolate cracking. Cut into 16 bars.

   Use a hot dry knife — dip in hot water and dry between cuts.

Variations

• •

  Add ½ tsp peppermint extract to the custard buttercream layer for Peppermint Nanaimo Bars.

• •

  Swirl 2 tbsp peanut butter into the middle layer for a Peanut Butter variation.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week. Freeze up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions