Blackberry-flavored Nanaimo bars take some time to prepare but are definitely worth the wait.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Additional Time: | 2 hrs |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 20 mins |
| Servings: | 16 |
| Yield: | 16 pieces |
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ⅓ cup butter at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons custard powder (such as Bird’s® Custard Powder)
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup blackberries
- 12 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a saucepan over low heat, and stir in the sugar and cocoa powder until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla extract, remove from heat, and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and walnuts until well combined. Press the mixture into a 9×9-inch square pan, and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
- Place 1/3 cup of room temperature butter into a mixing bowl, and stir custard powder and milk into the butter to make a smooth, creamy mixture. Stir in confectioners’ sugar, about 1 cup at a time, until the mixture is very smooth, with no lumps. Lightly stir in the blackberries. Spread the filling on the chilled crust in an even layer, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set up.
- Melt chocolate and 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over very low heat, stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat, and pour over the filling layer, spreading the topping over the filling to cover completely. Return to refrigerator, and allow to set until firm, at least 30 minutes. To cut, dip a very sharp knife into boiling water, and cut into squares with the hot knife.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 403 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 50 g |
| Cholesterol | 41 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Sodium | 146 mg |
| Sugars | 41 g |
| Fat | 23 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
A little soggy if the berries are fresh
Sweet tooth? This will satisfy it! A co-worker made these and shared with us. Layers of rich creaminess. I like the nutty, chocolate base layer, and the blueberries provided a nice hint of fruit. This will get me through the afternoon. Lovely treat!
Like all Nanaimo bars, this one is crazy sweet. But the bittery tang of the chocolate base helps, and the ganache on top helps too. Best bet is to cut each bar into 4 pieces! A little bite will satisfy where a big bar might be too much. Very delicious in small amounts.
Addictive! In order not to squeeze out all the custard when cutting it, I precut the chocolate layer while the chocolate was still soft and then let it harden in the fridge
This was my first experience with Nanaimo Bars, and I’m not sure whether these are classified as a bar cookie or a candy. They seem like candy to me—judging by the amount of sugar. My finished product came out looking very attractive. I cut the bars into small squares, and tried one. The first bite made every tooth in my head ache. Also, I’m not sure that 1/4 cup of blackberries is enough, as I really couldn’t taste them in the filling. I also found that 5 squares of chocolate was sufficient to make the glaze. I do think it is great that folks in the Nanaimo area have a “treat” that they are known for and that they enjoy. I would encourage them to try this recipe and post their comments. Just because it was too sweet for my taste doesn’t mean that others wouldn’t enjoy this.