Cherry Nanaimo Bars Food

CHERRY NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup butter, white sugar, and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir just until butter melts, about 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in beaten egg. Return pan to stove; cook and stir until cocoa mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
• Stir graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and walnuts into cocoa mixture. Press mixture firmly into an ungreased 9x9-inch baking pan.
• Beat 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, cherry juice, and almond extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; stir in cherries. Drop cherry mixture by spoonfuls over base layer, then spread evenly. Let cherry mixture layer stand until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Using your hand, pat cherry mixture layer to smooth.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over low heat; stir in chocolate chips. Cook and stir mixture until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Pour chocolate mixture over middle layer. Working quickly, smooth chocolate with the back of a spoon. Chill before cutting into bars, about 30 minutes.

CHERRY ALMOND NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Bottom Layer: Cook butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and beaten egg in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in coconut, graham crumbs and almonds. Pat firmly into 9 x 13 pan. Chill for at least 1 hour.
• Filling: Cream butter, cherry juice and almond extract. Gradually beat in icing sugar to make a smooth spreading consistency. Stir in cherries. Spread over the first layer in the pan. Chill until firm.
• Top Layer: Heat chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until smoothly melted. Drizzle chocolate over filling. Chill.

CHERRY ALMOND NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Base:.
• Melt margarine, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and egg in saucepan over low heat stirring constantly until it begins to thicken.
• Remove from heat and stir in coconut, graham cracker crumbs, and chopped almonds.
• Press into greased 9x9-inch pan.
• Chill 1 hour.
• Filling:.
• Cream butter, cherry juice, and vanilla.
• Gradually beat in, with hand mixer or by hand, icing sugar to make a smooth spreading consistency.
• Stir in chopped cherries.
• Spread evenly over chilled base.
• Chill until firm.
• Topping:.
• Heat chocolate and butter over medium heat until smoothly melted. Drizzle over filling.
• Chill.
• Cut into 30 bars with sharp knife pressing down gently to break the drizzle first then drag to slice.

CHOCOLATE MINT NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Base:
• Melt mint chips and margarine over hot water.
• Reserve 1/4 cup for drizzle.
• Add icing sugar, egg, and beat well.
• Stir in wafer crumbs.
• Press into 8" square pan and chill for about an hour.
• Topping:
• Cream margarine, icing sugar and milk until smooth and fluffy. Add drops of green food color to desired color is reached.
• Spread over base.
• Drizzle reserved chocolate over top.
• Chill until firm.
• With a medium short knife cut into bars by pressing down firmly. Try not to saw or drag so as not to disturb drizzle pattern.

NANAIMO BARS (WITH 6 VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• BASE: Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Stir in sugar and cocoa until smooth. Whisk egg with vanilla and stir into butter mixture. Remove from heat.
• Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press evenly over bottom of greased 9" square pan. Chill until set, at least 20 minute.
• FILLING: Beat butter with wooden spoon until light. Beat in custard powder and milk.Gradually beat in sugar. Spread over chilled base and let set in fridge.
• TOPPING: Melt together chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Spread in even layer over chilled filling.
• Store in fridge until chocolate topping begins to harden. Score topping into 16 small bars (bites). Cut before totally solid, use a hot knife, wiping clean between cuts. Store in fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
• FILLING VARIATIONS:.
• PEANUT BUTTER FILLING.-- 2 Tbsp Custard powder, 1/4 cup Milk, 2 Tbsp Butter; softened, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 2 cups confectioners sugar -sifted.
• MINT FILLING -- 1/3 cup butter, 3 Tbsp custard powder, Bird's brand (or substitute jello pudding powder), 1/4 cup milk, 3 cups icing sugar, 1 teaspoons peppermint flavoring, 1-2 drops green food coloring as desired.
• CAPPUCCINO FILLING -- 2 Tbsp milk, 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups confectioners sugar.
• GRAND MARNIER FILLING -- 2 cups Icing Sugar, 1/4 cup Butter; softened, 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or orange -liqueur, 1 Tbsp Orange rind; coarsely grated.
• BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM FILLING -- 1/3 cup butter, 3 Tbsp custard powder, Bird's brand (or substitute vanilla jello pudding powder), 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream, 2-3 cups icing sugar.
• CHERRY FILLING -- 1/4 cup Butter; softened, 1 tablespoons Cherry juice, 2 cups Icing sugar, 1/3 cup chopped Maraschino cherries, 1-2 drops of red food coloring.