I hardly ever do this - post sweet things back to back - but today was a 'hardly ever' day I guess.
It seemed fitting to post this recipe .  Two things recently brought BC (British Columbia, just in case) to the front of my thoughts.
The first thing was what I did yesterday.  I'm not going to talk about it.  I told myself that I wouldn't.  I'm not one to gloat.  I won't tell you that it's something that I've wanted to do for a long time.  I definitely won't tell you how proud I am of myself for finally doing it.  It would be insensitive for me to write that I enjoyed it thoroughly, that I would do it again (I am doing it again - pointe finale).  I won't even tell you why it reminds one of BC.  Aren't you glad that I didn't go on about it?
The second thing was who I did the first thing with (damn - this is sounding way complicated).  In the course of our most interesting conversation I discovered that my friend lived in BC for a time.  Vancouver to be exact.  We discussed how my friend misses BC and, were it not for the rain, might consider making it home at some point (although, let's talk about rain here in ON people).  All these things I did not know about my friend before this.
Fast forward to today when Kid #1 asks 'Mommy, will you makes these' pointing to a page in a recipe book.   Me: 'They look like green Nanaimo bars'  Me thinking - 'YES!  I'll make Nanaimo bars'.  Me saying out loud: 'Sure, I can make those'.


It had never occured to me that someone could make Nanaimo bars.  It just didn't.  You bought them.  At a grocery store.  Already made.  Then I moved to Montreal.  My roomie was telling me a story about the roomie who was there before me.  She made a pan of Nanaimo bars to take to a party and then ate the whole pan herself.  My roomie was so grossed out that someone would eat that much.  All I kept thinking was 'Wait... You can MAKE Nanaimo bars'.  I think that I missed the point.
Anyway, everyone is happy because I got to thinking and talking about BC yesterday and then my kid asked for weird looking green nanaimo bars (the green thing people - I'm not down with the green thing).  Since Kid #1 doesn't know what they are anyway, she didn't know the difference and the bars came out very nicely.  I highly recommend.


Nanaimo Bars
adapted from here

Base:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
5 tbsp cocoa
1 lg egg beaten

Filling:

3 tbsp custard powder
3 - 4 tbsp cream
3 cups icing sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Topping:

200g dark or semisweet chocolate
4 tbsp unsalted butter

Get a square baking pan out, line with parchment if you are so inclined (I wasn't)


Base:
Combine the graham wafers and almonds in a bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter, sugar and cocoa together over a double boiler.  Once the butter is melted add in the beaten egg and stir into the mixture until it all thickens.
Take the chocolate mixture and combine it with the graham cracker crap until it's all mixed and will hold together.
Press it all into the bottom of the baking pan.  It should be about a 1/2 inch thick.
Refrigerate.


Filling:
Combine all ingredients and beat together until it becomes fluffy and smoothly incorporated.
Scoop onto the base layer in the baking pan and smooth out evenly.
Refrigerate for about a 1/2 hour.


Topping:
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler until it's smoooooooth and shiny.
Pour over top of the filling layer in the baking pan and smooth it out.
Refrigerate until the chocolate has set.


Cut the bars and eat them.  Store them in the fridge if you must.