Tell the truth!
Isn’t one of your favourite things about the holiday season the cookie and dessert squares that seem to be a fixture at all festive gatherings? Don’t you love trying each gingerbread man and lemon bar and seeing what variations people come up with. Many people make the same treats each holiday season, passed down through the generations, while other people mix it up. I tend to be one of those people that make a few traditional favourites and also try out a few new things.
One of the best squares of all the time has to be the Nanaimo bar. I originally knew it as George as this is what it was called in The Best of Bridge cookbook my mum made the recipe from. (The Best of Bridge is a bit of a Canadian success story started by eight mothers who frequently played bridge with each other. One day, they decided to make a cookbook of all their best recipes and 30 years and 3.2 million books later they were a household name in Canada!) It’s a no-bake square that consists of three layers: a chocolate coconut layer, a yellow custard icing middle and a chocolate top.
There are many variations on this recipe but this version is my absolute favourite. If you have only eaten a store-bought version of these bars than you must make your own. Using real butter (which store-bought options rarely do) makes all the difference.
Nanaimo Bars or George (adapted from The Best of Bridge)
First layer:
1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa 1 beaten egg 2 cups graham wafer crumbs 1 cup coconut 1/2 cup chopped walnutsCombine, put in nine-inch square pan and chill for 1/2 hour.
Second layer:
2 cups icing sugar 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup cream or milk 2 tablespoons custard powderCombine all ingredients, beating until smooth and fluffy. Then spread carefully on top of first layer.
Third layer:
3 semi-sweet chocolate squares 1/4 cup butter, meltedMelt chocolate and butter together, then spread over second layer and chill.
I dare you to not eat the whole pan in one seating! I often make a double batch of the recipe and put it in a brownie pan. Since none of the ingredients are baked it can be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled with no problems.
Is the Nanaimo Bar on your list of holiday treats? What else makes your festive cookie and square tray every year? I’d love to hear what your favourites are. I might just give them a try myself!
19 Comments
i see a big pan of these in my future…near future!
What is custard powder?
We do a Christmas Cookie day with all the ladies in the family wherein we get together on a Sunday with all the ingredients to make big batches of our favourite cookies. We bake and chat all day and then we then divvy them all up so we each have a plethora of holiday treats. Each and every year I have to make Danish Ginger Snaps. The scent of these baking means Christmas in my house.
GORGE
@Barbara – the version I used is called Bird’s custard powder. Normally you would use it to make custard with. You should be able to find it in the baking section of a grocery store.
Wow, these look + sound delicious. Definitely bookmarking for the holidays.
I made nanaimo bars for the first time last year and they were fantastic. I had no idea how easy they would be (same goes for butter tarts. Frighfully easy) and so -so good. I remember the Best of Bridge cookbook. Strangely, my sister used to make them and they were called “New York Bars”. I have no idea why but they really were the good ol’ nanaimo.
Yours look delicious!
Your food photos are amazing!
We loved the Best of Bridge books…especially all the silly jokes at the bottoms of the recipes. Schwarties potatoes were a Christmas dinner staple for years, and we ate a lot of sausage spaghetti in the years before my parents went vegetarian. Just this weekend I made the french toast raphael for a brunch party.
Christmas cake is the #1 essential baking for me…though only about half the family really loves it. And some of the 1970s staples — like the little haystacks made out of “oriental noodles”.
I’ve just started learning how to bake. I am soooo gonna make this. Thanks much!
This looks amazing, something simliar to a recipe called Vacuum Cleaner Cookies…so name because they just get sucked up! We always make my Grandma’s old fashioned spritz cookies in a press, Brand Balls, Toffee Cookies and oatmeal. It’s a cherished time with my mom and a way to remember my Grandma! I am going to try this as our new one this year! My only ? is what is custard powder?
Thanks!
I’m from Vancouver Island and grew up on Nanaimo bars…. and Best of Bridges! I love this post!
When I moved to Japan I made these as a “Canadian” food and people were very impressed!
@NicoleF – I use Bird’s Custard Powder. It’s a powder mix that you would make custard with. I’m not sure if you will be able to find it in the States. Any other American readers know whether or not custard powder is available in US grocery stores?
oh that looks so yummy!
OMG my favorite – they look delish! and such beautiful pics!
they look delicious!!
I’m a Canadian transplant in Brooklyn, making these for faux-Thanksgiving tomorrow. Gorgeous photos! We used to dye the custard red and green for Christmas. And speaking of – yes, you can find custard powder in the States. I got mine (Bird’s) at Whole Foods in the baking aisle.
It’s going to be one of my festive treats this year thanks to this recipe! Missing this Canadian treat x katrina
I just saw these featured on Baked Bree, they look delicious!
-Brandon
http://www.theyummybits.com
Twitter @theyummybits
These look SO good. Nanaimo bars are my favourite, i’ve always wanted to make my own. I think i’m going to make these tomorrow!
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[...] Cut into small squares (they are really rich) and keep in the fridge. My Canadian daughter loves these. She must know that they are part of her heritage. This recipe was adapted from The Marion House Book. [...]
[...] The Marion House Book posted a Canadian favourite a favourite of mine – Nanaimo Bars [...]