Hey Canadians! I Made Nanaimo Bars!

[EVERYBODY'SAUNTIE]

Hi everybody. I am a transplanted Canadian, sweltering in Arizona and with Canada Day approaching, felt a need for Nanaimo Bars. I used my regular recipe and substituted the graham crackers with some gluten free cookies i found at the health food store. They turned out fantastic! just thought i'd pass it on.

[chattyCathy]

Well thanks for the tip! Ahhhhh....life is sweet with Nanaimo Bars. Who says it's a restrictive diet?

[kbabe1968]

YEAH! Life is worth living! I was thinking aobut Christmas cookies, and what would the holiday be without Nanaimo Bars! YEAH!!!

What cookies did you use?

[2Boys4Me]

I don't eat Nanaimo bars, but I went to a few when I was 19!

We are heading to Nanaimo at the end of July for 10 days. I have to try to figure out how to pack bread, hamburger/hot dog buns, suspicious white powder (potato starch & xanthan), Kinnikrisp rice krispies and cornflakes in a suitcase w/o destroying them. Tupperware, I guess. I know I can get rice flour and mochiko if needed, but I didn't see any potato starch last time.

[lorka150]

I also have They are such a process, though! I have to make mine dairy/egg free, though, which made it a little complicated to taste like the 'real' thing, but they turned out fab. I love Canadian desserts!

[EVERYBODY'SAUNTIE]

YEAH! Life is worth living! I was thinking aobut Christmas cookies, and what would the holiday be without Nanaimo Bars! YEAH!!!

What cookies did you use?

I used Mi-Del brand choco chip. Rather nasty on their own but they made a great crust.

[EVERYBODY'SAUNTIE]

I don't eat Nanaimo bars, but I went to a few when I was 19!

LMAO! I miss Canadian sense of humour!

[kbabe1968]

I used Mi-Del brand choco chip. Rather nasty on their own but they made a great crust.

COOL I can get them at my local grocery! THANKS!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Um, I only live a few hours from the Canadian border, but I have no clue what Nanaimo bars are? Could you post a recipe?

[Juliebove]

I also have They are such a process, though! I have to make mine dairy/egg free, though, which made it a little complicated to taste like the 'real' thing, but they turned out fab. I love Canadian desserts!

Just curious what substitutions you used. Daughter and I can't have egg or dairy. I have some gluten free graham cracker crumbs and need to use them soon. I was thinking of using coconut oil and rice milk. Would that work? I've never had the real thing so it doesn't have to be exact.

[lorka150]

I didn't use any pre-made crackers/ cookies in my ingredients. I am allergic to rice, and didn't use coconut oil. I'm wary to post the recipe, as so many of my recipes are already circulating and I'm trying to stop posting because of my copyright and my book, sorry. But I'm sure adapting an original of sorts using your safe ingredients would be fine.

[EVERYBODY'SAUNTIE]

Here's the recipe I used. Since the dairy and egg ingredients are minimal I'm pretty sure your substitutions would work.

Base: Melt 1/2 c butter or marg. Add 1/2c cocoa or 2 squares of melted semisweet chocolate.Add 2TBSP sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 egg ( it stays uncooked so make sure they are fresh and properly handled). Mix well. Add 2 c crushed gluten free graham crackers or mi-del choco chip cookies, 1c cup coconut and 1/2 c chopped walnuts ( i prefer pecans). Mix well. Press into 9 inch square pan. Chill.

Filling: Combine 2 TBSP Custard Powder with 3TBSP milk. Add to 1/4 c softened butter or marg. Beat in 2 c icing sugar until smooth. Spread over base and chill 15 minutes.

Glaze: Melt 4oz of semisweet chocolate with 1 TBSP butter or marg. Spread over custard layer. Chill and cut into bars

You can also add flavoring to the filling ie, cherry, orange, almond or mint for a change.

I served the last batch I made with some fresh stawberries to cut the sweet--yummy!!

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Thanks for posting the recipe!

I've never heard of custard powder--what is it, and where do you find it? Is it called something else here in the States?

[EVERYBODY'SAUNTIE]

Thanks for posting the recipe!

I've never heard of custard powder--what is it, and where do you find it? Is it called something else here in the States?

Custard powder is a British thing, from what I gather. I had a sister bring me some from Canada. It's brand name is "Birds". I have seen some recently in the imported foods section of my grocery store (also try looking in the pudding and pie making sections). I imagine you could also find it online from a British orCanadian food site. Good Luck!

[Juliebove]

I just made these using a similar recipe I found online but I made a few modificatiions since we can't have egg, dairy or soy. I used some gluten free graham cracker crumbs that I already had. Smelled just like graham crackers! Have also seen a recipe calling for oats. Might try it again using the gluten free oats as well.

I subbed in coconut oil for the butter/marg., ground flax and water for the egg, rice milk for the milk, and instant vanilla pudding powder for the custard powder. Since rice milk is runnier than milk, I added a wee bit more pudding powder. I've never actually had these before so I just did it by eyeball and taste.

Instead of putting melted chocolate over the top, I used some Enjoy Life chocolate chips and just pressed those into the second layer.

Looks really yummy! Can't wait for it to set up.

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Okay, they didn't quite set up enough but I couldn't wait. Got into the already. Yum, yum, yum!!!!

[corinne]

Yummy! I'm a transplanted Canadian living in California. When I was little, my uncle in Nanaimo used to claim that it was a family recipe. I can't wait until things settle down someday and I can make them (can't eat any grains including rice plus no chocolate, dairy, soy or sugar)

[EVERYBODY'SAUNTIE]

HI! Happy Canada Day!! Hope youre feeling better soon!