Nanaimo Bars

This is actually a recipe I made back in July, and unless you're Canadian, you've probably never heard of Nanaimo bars... but rest assured, they're worth the effort.  Funny story - I hate dessicated coconut, it makes me feel sick - it makes my throat scratchy and sore - but I love these things.  Since they make me sick, it's a nice 'safe' treat to have around because I'm guaranteed not to eat too many.

Regardless, these are a Canadian institution - the recipe is said to have originated in Nanaimo, British Columbia (near Vancouver).  This recipe, in fact, is from the City of Nanaimo's website.  I browsed through a whole bunch of recipes online and decided this one was the easiest and would probably be the tastiest. It turned out really well, so here goes, try it and enjoy.

Nanaimo Bars
Bottom Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 T cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cup graham wafer crumbs*
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (optional)**
1 c coconut (dessicated)

Second Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 T + 2 t cream
2T vanilla custard powder
2 cup icing sugar

Third Layer
4 sq (4 oz) semi-sweet chocolate
2 T unsalted butter

Bottom Layer

1. Melt Butter, sugar and cocoa in double boiler.
2. Add egg and stir, allow to thicken while cooking.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts.
5. Press into greased 8" x 8" pan (I used a pie dish, but a square dish would be best)

Second Layer

1. Cream butter, cream, custard powder and icing sugar using beaters or a food processor until light.
2. Spread over bottom layer in dish.

Third Layer

1. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently to mix.
2. Set aside to cool.
3. Once cooled but still viscous, pour over second layer.
4. Place dish in fridge to cool for several hours.
5. Once cooled, slice into bars, optionally wrapping in cupcake wrappers or wax paper.

* In Australia, they don't seem to have graham crackers or graham crumbs, so I bought some Marie biscuits instead - anything in a plain, sweet biscuit should do.  Just put the cookies in a bag and break them up with a rolling pin, bottle or sheer determination.
** I'm gonna be honest, I almost always leave nuts out of recipes. I'm not a big fan, and when I'm baking for others I'm always paranoid I'm going to hospitalize someone with a nut allergy (although, they probably should ask what they're eating first, so....)

You might notice, poking out from under the half finished pie, my satchel of Weight Watchers custard powder.  That makes it healthy, right?  Seriously though, Australia is weird about ingredients sometimes - not only do they not have graham cracker (or even know what they are), but they don't have powdered custards like I'm used to.  Sure, you can go to the dairy aisle and find a wide variety of custards in milk cartons... but if you want it powdered? You're SOL.  They don't even have Jello pudding powder.  Or Jello of any sort (it's Aeroplane jelly here).  

Poor Bill Cosby would be so sad here - no Jello pudding?