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Some of our kitchen team find traditional Nanaimo bars too sweet, so we developed a bar we all could love. Thanks to cocoa powder, salted almonds and much less sugar, we got it.
1/2 cup unsweetened dessicated coconut, toasted
3/4 cup graham-cracker crumbs
1/3 cup finely chopped salted roasted almonds, divided
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp corn syrup
3/4 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp custard powder
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
LINE an 8 × 8-in. baking pan with overhanging parchment.
COMBINE toasted coconut with graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup almonds and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup melted butter and corn syrup. Press evenly into prepared pan.
BEAT icing sugar with 1/2 cup butter, custard powder, vanilla seeds and vanilla and almond extracts using an electric mixer on low, 1 min. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, 2 min. Spread evenly over base.
MICROWAVE chocolate in a small bowl, stirring halfway, until smooth, 1 to 2 min. Pour over custard, smoothing top. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Chill until firm, 2 hours. Let stand 15 min, then cut into bars.
Calories 148, Protein 1g, Carbohydrates 13g, Fat 11g, Fibre 1g, Sodium 37mg.
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