Nanaimo Bars

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Nanaimo Bars are a Canadian holiday tradition. The recipe originates in my home province of British Columbia in none other than the town of Nanaimo. Though there is some debate about when the actual recipe was created, the 1st printed copy that has been officially confirmed and now resides in the Nanaimo museum is from the early 1950s. This recipe is in fact listed on the City of Nanaimo's website and it is ABSOLUTELY delicious.

If you've never had a Nanaimo bar before, you need to fix that, preferably right now.

INGREDIENTS
Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut

Second Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder (I used vanilla pudding/pie mix)
2 cups icing sugar

Third Layer
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS
Bottom Layer
Melt the butter, sugar, and cocoa 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
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, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

Serve chilled.