Nanaimo Bars ~ #CreativeCookieExchange

One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do, especially when making cookies.

I consider butter to be one of the most important ingredients that I bake with, and I hardly ever compromise and use shortening, and I never use margarine.  In a perfect world I would only bake with Kerrygold butter (no I am not sponsored by them, it is just my favorite butter), but it can be kind of pricy here in Hawaii.

When I saw that the theme this month for the Creative Cookie Exchange was Butter, I decided to totally embrace it and make a bar cookie that has butter in each layer (I think I almost out-buttered Paula Deen). The Nanaimo Bar is a triple threat cookie comprised of three layers - a crunchy chocolate, sweet-salty base, a custard powder flavored buttercream, and a chocolate icing.  As with all great recipes there is controversy over who created these delicious bars, and they have also been known over the years as a New York slice, a London fog bar, a chocolate square and a prayer bar. To me they will always be Nanaimo Bars, and I say a little prayer of thanks to that wonderful individual who created the recipe each time a take a bite of one.

If you would like to know more about #CreativeCookieExchange and see what the other bakers made for the Butter Cookies theme please scroll down below the recipe.


Nanaimo Bars
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
Bottom Layer ~

• 125g (½ cup) unsalted butter
• 75g (5 tablespoons) cocoa powder
• 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 425g (1¾ cups) graham wafer crumbs
• 250g (1 cup) desiccated coconut
• 125g (½ cup) almonds, finely chopped

Middle Layer ~

• 125g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 40ml (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) heavy whipping cream
• 30ml (2 tablespoons) vanilla custard powder
• 500g (2 cups) powdered sugar

Topping ~

• 115g (4 oz) semi-sweet chocolate
• 30g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Preparation

Bottom Layer ~

1. Line a 20x20cm(8x8-inch) pan with parchment; set aside.
2. Pour 500ml (2 cups) water into bottom of double boiler. Place on stove over medium heat and bring water to simmer.
3. In top of double boiler; combine butter, cocoa and sugar; place over simmering water. Heat, stirring, until butter has melted and mixture is smooth.
4. Add beaten egg; stir until thick.
5. Remove top of double boiler from heat and stir in graham wafer crumbs, coconut and almonds.
6. Scrape into the parchment paper-lined pan. Press firmly to create even bottom layer.

Middle Layer ~

1. In bowl, cream together butter, cream and custard powder.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Scrape over bottom layer, smoothing top with spatula or offset spatula.

Topping ~

1. In clean double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
2. When cool, but still liquid, pour over custard layer.
3. Cover and refrigerate until cold, then cut into squares.

Butter makes everything taste better and the Creative Cookie Exchange is taking that to hear this month by making it our theme. You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

This is usually the spot where I would encourage you to visit all of the other bloggers to see what they made for the butter theme - but surprise - you are stuck with just me this month. No problem though because I can thoroughly recommend the Nanaimo Bars and they have butter in them in spades. I guess it is just a busy time of year, and I am sure that there will be a bit more variety next month from the Creative Cookie Exchange.