Lazy Sunday Nanaimo Bars

Sundays are for cooking. 

I had Shutterbean's Sriracha Mac and Cheese recipe open on my iPhone until last weekend. This is kind of what I do. I see a recipe I like and I leave it open on my iPad or iPhone for months and months and months. Until I finally make the recipe. Last Sunday, I mentioned mac and cheese to S and then S decided we were making it for dinner. Just like that.

Sriracha Mac and Cheese is really serious business. The whole pan must have weighed 10 pounds. It was a massive amount of food. Mac and cheese all around! Mac and cheese for everyone!

What was in it? Cheese, milk, flour, butter, more butter, even more butter, pasta. And Sriracha! The Mac and Cheese had a little kick to it and then I drizzled more Sriracha on top. I mean... why not?

S sauteed some spinach with garlic and dinner was ready.

 

Today I crossed another recipe off the list: Nanaimo bars.

Neh-nigh-mo. Nuh-nai-mo. Did I say it right? Anyone?

Nanaimo bars are impossible to pronounce and totally delicious. I don't really remember when I first heard of Nanaimo bars - maybe sometime last summer - but I've had a recipe open on my iPad ever since.

The bars have different textures and three layers: a crunchy chocolate base layer full of cookie crumbs and nuts, a thick vanilla buttercream, and a chocolate glaze on top. Full disclosure, I didn't have all of ingredients and I couldn't find vanilla custard powder at the store. I'm sorry. It's like 20 degrees out there. If the corner store doesn't have everything I need... well, too bad. So I had to make a few changes and I also copped out on chopping the nuts finely, but my super lazy version of the bars turned out well anyway. They remind me of Rocky Road ice cream.. there's a whole lot going on.

 Make them, won't you? And then holler at me and let me know how to pronounce Nanaimo.

Nanaimo Bars (adapted from City of Nanaimo's recipe)

Bottom layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg beaten
1 1/4 cup cookie crumbs (I used Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux cookies)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Melt butter, sugar, and cocoa powder together in a saucepan over medium heat and combine well. Add the egg, stir well, and cook for five minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the cookie crumbs, walnuts, and coconut. Pour into a 8x8 glass baking pan and smooth the top.

Second layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons heavy cream
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups confectioner's sugar

Using a hand mixer, blend butter, cream, and sugar on low speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and blend well. Smooth the cream mixture over the bottom layer carefully.

Third layer:
4 ounces milk chocolate (I used Hershey's)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and cool. Pour the chocolate over the second layer and smooth carefully. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, preferably two. Cut into squares and keep refrigerated.