Nanaimo Bars

My very good friend, Honey, intrigued me the other day with her recipe for this bar.  She said she has been making it every year for 15 years, and I had never even heard of it.  So before she sent the recipe to me, I searched the internet and found the original recipe.  It was slightly different from hers, so we decided to have a tasting.  She made her recipe and I made the original.  Both were very good, but very sweet!  So I have adapted the recipe slightly hoping to make it less sweet.

Bottom Layer

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
• 1 cup (4-oz) coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler.  Add egg and stir to cook and thicken.  Remove from heat.  Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut.  Press firmly into an ungreased 9″ x 9″ or 11″ x 7″ pan.  Refrigerate.

Second Layer

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Cream butter, cream, pudding and sugar together well.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Spread over bottom layer.  Refrigerate.

Third Layer

• 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1-oz each)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat.  Cool.  When cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

“When we’re forgiven, no record is kept of our failures.”