This is my version of the delicious unbaked slice I discovered years ago on a road trip through Canada. It hails from the town of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, but is popular throughout the country. It’s a simple biscuit base with creamy custard-flavoured filling and chocolate ganache topping – and it’s irresistible! Nanaimo bars are rich, so I often cut each slice in half to give 48 squares, perfect with after dinner coffee and a glass of red vermouth like the gorgeous Primitivo Quiles from Spain.
Makes 24 pieces
Ingredients
- 165g digestive biscuits (about 11)
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup walnuts
- ⅓ cup Dutched cocoa powder
- 300g salted butter, chopped
- 2¼ cups icing sugar mixture
- ¼ cup egg custard powder
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180g dark chocolate
Method
- Crumble biscuits into a food processor, add coconut, walnuts, cocoa, 125g of the butter and ¼ cup of the icing sugar and pulse into a rough dough.
- Press firmly into a 20 x 30cm lamington tin and refrigerate.
- Using an electric mixer, beat 125g of the butter with custard powder and remaining icing sugar for several minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add milk and vanilla and beat for a further minute or so until pale and creamy.
- Spread over the mixture in the lamington tin.
- Melt chocolate and remaining butter.
- Cool slightly then pour over the mixture in the lamington tin.
- Tap it sharply on a work bench to smooth it out as much as possible and refrigerate for at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
- Serve cut into rectangles.
