I'm not Ann T. but my family came from Nanaimo (Vancouver Island) and I grew up with these bars, made by my aunt.
Very sweet but most people love them! I have the story about them but will wait to see if Ann answers first, since you asked her. :-)

SharonCb

Patricia,

I spoke to Lee last week. He had knee surgery and hasn't had a change to answer yours and a couple of other emails he received from Cooking Forum friends. I'm sure you will hear from him soon.

As for Nanaimo Bars. I must be one of the few that doesn't like Nanaimo Bars. They are well known across Canada and even as a kid I didn't particular care for them. But they are very popular so don't go by me.

Here is the recipe that I have. There are a number of recipes out there but they are basically all the same with just some subtle differences. Maybe if Sharon's is different she will post hers too.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Nanaimo Bars
============
The Original Nanaimo Bar Recipe

FIRST LAYER (BOTTOM)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (European Style cultured)
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp cocoa
1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut

Directions:

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of a double boiler.
Add egg and stir to cook and thicken.
Remove from heat.
Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts.
Press firmly into an ungreased 8"x8" pan

.
SECOND LAYER (MIDDLE)

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp and 2 tsp cream
2 Tbsp vanilla custard powder (Birds Custard Powder)
2 cups icing sugar

Directions:

Cream butter, cream, custard powder and icing sugar together well.
Beat until light.
Spread over bottom layer.

THIRD LAYER (TOP)

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 ounce each)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat.
Cool.
When cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in
refrigerator.

Yes I have the same recipe which I cut from the local newspaper, but I have it more or less the same, handwritten in one of my notebooks from my aunt in Nanaimo who made them.

Legend goes that a Nanaimo housewife once sent in to a contest her recipe for chocolate squares, naming them after the city where she lived. She won the prize for them.

In 1986 the mayor of Nanaimo, together with one of the malls sponsored another contest to find the 'Ultimate Nanaimo Bar.'
The winner, out of over 100 contestants was a lady named Joyce Hardcastle. This is her recipe.

Note: My aunt also used 1/2 teasp vanilla extract in the bottom layer. (Keep refrigerated if they don't get eaten up all at once !)

Birds or Duffs custard powder is the only kind to use. Don't use vanilla pudding, as it's not at all the same.

Here's Wikipedia on Nanaimo bars, although their photo is dreadful. Here's a better photo on a blog.

I usually have one or two Nanaimo bars when I'm in Canada each summer. Homemade are best although they're sold in most bakeries.
I like them, especially when they've been in the fridge and are cold. Very rich though.

SharonCb

When we lived in upstate NY, a Canadian friend shared this recipe for Nanaimo Bars. It calls for instant vanilla pudding mix in place of the Birds or Duffs custard powder usually named. I have yet to see Birds or Duffs wherever I have lived, and the instant vanilla pudding mix has worked well for us. I am sure that the above recipes are truest to the original, but we enjoy these, perhaps in part because they're thinner than the ones pictured in the above links.

NANAIMO BARS

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup granulated sugar
5 Tablespoons regular cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
Combine in two-quart saucepan. Heat and then boil gently for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. It may look odd, but keep going.

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Add to above, mixing well. Press firmly into lightly greased 9x13" pan.

1/4 cup margarine, softened
3 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups confectioner's sugar
Combine with mixer in small bowl. Put dollops all around bottom layer, then spread gently until smooth. Chill.

3 one-ounce squares semi-sweet chocolate
or 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tablespoons margarine
Melt together and spread on top of white layer. Chill until firm.

Cut into 1" squares. Store in refrigerator, in the back if you must hide them.

Experts: coconut is sweetened or not?

I wouldn't use sweetened if there's a choice as the bars will be sweet enough without it. Here the coconut is just called 'grated coconut' and I don't think there's added sugar.

Sharoncb

These are the best things ever! I made them for a friend 5 years ago when she had her baby and she STILL talks about them. I can only pick up Bird's custard powder when I'm visiting in OH so I haven't made them in quite awhile. This thread is making me want them again though!

I'll try the recipe this week.

Ann thanks for the cutting board news, I look forward to hearing from Lee.

Patti

Hi all,

My recipe is from the Los Angeles Times & is at least 20 years old. I have made them occasionally for Christmas giveaways. They sure taste good, but I find them frustrating because the chocolate topping cracks when I cut the bars. Not pretty for gifts.

ORIGINAL NAMAIMO BARS
Yield: 27 3x1-inch bars.

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks)plus 1 Tbsp butter
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped nuts
3 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp egg custard mix powder*
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
4 1-oz squares semisweet chocolate

Combine 1/2 c. butter, granulated sugar, egg & cocoa in top of double boiler over boiling water. Cook, stirring, until mixture resembles custard, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut & nuts. Add to custard & blend well. Spread & press tightly into 9-inch-square pan.
Beat additional 1/4 c. butter, milk, custard powder & powdered sugar until creamy. Spread icing over custard mixture in pan.
Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water. Add remaining 1 Tbsp butter & blend well. Spread over icing.
Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

*I find Bird's Custard Powder at Cost Plus World Bazaar.

[Sharon: thanks, but SEE!!! Another recipe w/out specification! Drives me NUTS since I have both in my pantry. ARRRGGGHHHHHH OK slinking back to the Laker game]

A note to kathleenca -- I had the same cracked top problem after cutting my bars when they were cold. Now I chill them thoroughly and later let them come to room temperature. I cut about 1/4-1/2" around each edge of the pan (these trimmings are for the family), then cut the center part into squares, and put the squares back into the refrigerator. Running the knife under hot water between cuts also helps. Because I use a 9x13 pan, my bars are thinner than yours, but I would think the same procedure would help you as well. They taste good no matter how they look!

Jessy ..LOL....I've never seen sweetened coconut and probably when the recipe was created nobody else had either, so that could be why it's not mentioned.

It sure doesn't need any more sugar!

SharonCb

Sorry about the hijack patricialynn....

Sharon I have the opposite problem. Doesn't help that I don't make many desserts. For a long time I only saw sweetened coconut here, I had to look long and far to find unsweetened for things like certain coconut macaroons for Passover. Now both are readily available so I read recipes more carefully...doesn't mean I'm going to make 'em, just read, LOL. Now I have a craving for those 'Lime in the Coconut muffins' I made a few weeks ago, LOL.

Kathleen, Just run your knife under hot water before slicing and you won't have a problem with the topping cracking.

Jessica, I would use sweetened coconut. I like the flavour of it in bards and cookies better than unsweetened.

Ann

Lime in the coconut muffins, sound yummy...

I'm off to search the recipe.

Patti

LOL patricia here ya go

Lime in the Coconut muffins

(note: watch carefully, the coconut tips burned)

These muffins are a blend of two recipes. They have a wonderful "Island" taste and combine my families love of Key Lime Juice and Coconut.
by SUSIE IN MISSOURI
35 min : 10 min prep

SERVES 6 , 6 Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup key lime juice
1-1 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil and Key Lime Juice.

Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients just until all are moist, do not overmix.

Spray Large muffin tins lightly with cooking oil.

Layer batter and coconut by filling tins 1/2 full with batter, then 1 tablespoon of coconut, then fill to about 1/4 inch from top with batter and top with 1 tablespoon of coconut.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25-28 minutes, until tops are brown and the coconut is toasty. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, run a knife around the muffins and place on serving dish or store in airtight container.