Friday, March 15, 2013

Traditional Nanaimo Bars


Traditional Nanaimo Bars


Bottom Layer
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 ½  cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • ½ cup pecans, finely chopped
Middle Layer
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons half & half or heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons Bird's Custard Powder
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
Top Layer
  • 1 tablespoon Crisco or vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped white or milk chocolate, melted







Traditional Nanaimo Bars


  1. They have Bird's at The Gateway Market here in DSM and often at World Market. My Dad's British, so we grew up eating it + it's a def must. Am making these bars this week - again, thanks!

    1. Thank you! That's good to know. After I finish my 600g can, I know where I can stock up again. :)

  2. Hi, are you using salted or unsalted butter? Seeing just "butter" am I to assume that's unsalted? I've seen both listed in different recipes and have no idea which one to use now! Thank you!

    1. For recipes here on my blog when I say "butter" I mean salted butter. I specify "salted butter" when it's important to use I salted butter. Does that make sense? It only makes a difference in a few recipes, in my opinion.

  3. Hello! I am planning to make your wonderful looking recipe :)
    Can you please tell me how do you cut these bars to get a very clean cut? Do you use a very sharp knife or a serrated knife? Do you cut in a sawing motion or straight down?

    Thank you..

    1. Sorry for the delay on this reply. It actually took making these a few times before I realized that I needed to cut them before the chocolate on top was completely chilled and set. After putting the chocolate layer on, you refrigerate just until the chocolate is no longer shiny--in my fridge that's about 10-15 minutes. Then I use a small, sharp, NOT serrated knive to cut. If the chocolate still seems to soft after the first cut, I put it back in the fridge for about five minutes. If the chocolate is already cracking with the first cut, I try to cut it as quickly as possible to minimize the cracking. It's not an exact science because sometimes I let hours go by between layers, so my bottom layers are colder when I add the chocolate, so it sets up faster. When I'm rushing things, it seems like it takes the chocolate a lot longer to set because the bottom layers aren't completely cold and set themselves. I hope that long answer is useful. Even if you don't get clean cuts the first time, I know you'll enjoy these. :)

    2. Oh, and I also wipe the knife clean with a wet paper towel between each cut.

    3. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I made these about 4 times already and they were WONDERFUL. And I did manage to get very clean cuts thanks to your instructions!

  4. hello, I'm planning to make these for a cookie exchange party, and I'll need 5-6 dozen. Can you tell me approx. how many bars you get out of the recipe above? should I double, triple or quadruple it? any reccomendations on short cuts/efficiencies for making this sort of volume? I was thinking I'd make it in stages, doing the bottom layers all in 1 night and then the middle layers and top layers the next night?? thanks in advance for your tips. -Buffy

    1. Hey, Buffy. I can't believe I neglected to write how many pieces to cut these into. The above recipe makes 16 decent sized bars. I've made a large batch in a half sheet pan. I think I multiplied the recipe by four or five. I'm sorry I can't remember. It was probably four. If you could do that, you'd probably get close to five dozen. Making the bars over time is fine, but you need to allow much less time for the top layer of chocolate to set before you cut it. When the middle layer is good and cold the top layer firms up much more quickly. It's quite important to cut it just as the chocolate is set but not hard so that it does not crack. Still tastes good, but not nearly as pretty. Let me know if you have any other questions. Have fun! :)

  5. Hello- can you tell me how many bars the recipe above makes? I'm planning to make them for a holiday cookie exchange, and will need 5-6 dozen unbroken bars total. Should I double, triple or quadruple the recipe? also, might you have any efficiency tips for making this volume? I was thinking maybe I'd make all the bottom layers in 1 night, then the middle and top layers the next night? thanks in advance. -Buffy

  6. Can you use anything in place of the Bird's Custard Powder? I have been having trouble finding in my Sacramento, CA area.

    1. You can use Jell-O instant vanilla pudding powder instead of the Bird's Custard Powder.
      Sorry for the delay in a reply. If you have time, you could also order the Bird's on Jell-O powder will work fine though, and if you've never tasted any different, you won't know. :)



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