Minty Nanaimo Bars Food

NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• BOTTOM LAYER: Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler or heavy saucepan.
• Add egg & stir to cook & thicken.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in remaining ingredients& press firmly into an ungreased 9 x 9-inch pan.
• MIDDLE LAYER: Cream all ingredients together; beat until light.
• Spread over bottom layer.
• TOPPING: Melt chips & butter over low heat; cool.
• When cooled but still runny, spread over middle layer.
• Chill in refrigerator.
• Use a very sharp knife to cut into squares.

MINT NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Bottom Layer: Combine first amount of butter, first amount of sugar and cocoa to saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil. Stir in egg to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Pack very firmly into a greased 9x9" pan. (Do NOT, I repeat, NOT, dump a beaten egg into a pot of boiling liquid. Unless you like scrambled eggs in your pastry. Instead, beat the egg in a small bowl and then add a tablespoon or two of the cocoa mixture to the egg and whisk well, then add the egg mixture into the chocolate mix and stir. Also, once this mixture is in the pan, chill it for about half an hour before making the middle layer - this will prevent the bottom layer from blending with the frosting and making it all lumpy.).
• Middle Layer: Combine second amount of butter, milk, flavouring and icing sugar in a bowl. Beat together well. Tint a pretty shade of green. Spread over first layer. (Regular Nanaimo bars call for the same amounts of milk, butter and sugar, but omit the [liquid] colouring and flavouring, and have the addition of 2 tablespoons of vanilla custard powder. This means that the mint filling is considerably softer than the regular. To prevent this, add an additional 1/4 cup of icing sugar, otherwise this layer may never firm up and will squish and ooze when the squares are cut. And as with the first layer, chill this before you add the top layer or the mint layer will melt and blend with the chocolate topping.).
• Top layer: Melt chips and third amount of butter in a saucepan over low heat. Spread over second layer. Chill and store in refrigerator. (This amount of chocolate IN NO WAY makes enough to properly cover a 9" square pan. It creates a thin, miserly little layer that doesn't look anything at all like the amount there should be based on the accompanying photographs. I'd go for a cup of chocolate, possibly double the original amount. Also - let the chocolate firm up at room temperature and cut as soon as it's firm. If you chill this first, and then try to cut it, the chocolate will get hard and crack and you'll have an ugly ol' mess like I did.).

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.

CHOCOLATE MINT NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Lightly grease 8 x 8 dish and set aside. In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate chips with butter into smooth. Remove from the heat and add graham crumbs, coconut flakes and walnuts; stir until well blended. Transfer mixture to prepared dish, pressing down to the bottom. Chill bottom layer for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, cornstarch, peppermint extract, sea salt, milk and food coloring. Beat ingredients until smooth. Add more natural green food coloring until desired color; process until completely combined. Spread evenly over the cooled base and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In the top of a bain-marie, add dark chocolate chips & mint chocolate &, butter and vanilla extract. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth - DON'T make it hot. Spread evenly topping over mint layer. Cool for about 15 minutes and cut into squares. Makes 12 bars.

MINTY NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Melt 1 cup of mint chocolate chips with 1/2 cup butter in a large saucepan over very low heat, and stir to combine. Mix in the chocolate wafer crumbs, coconut, and walnuts, and press the mixture into the bottom of an 8x8-inch square pan. Chill until the crust is set, at least 30 minutes.
• Place 1/4 cup of softened butter into a mixing bowl, and beat in confectioners' sugar, milk, custard powder, and peppermint extract until the filling is smooth and thick. Beat in green food coloring, 1 drop at a time, to reach desired green color. Spread the filling on the crust in a smooth layer; refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes.
• Melt together 3/4 cup of mint chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, and stir to mix thoroughly. Allow the mixture to cool for several minutes, then spread on chilled mint filling layer. Return the dish to refrigerator, chill until set, at least 1 hour, and cut into squares to serve.