Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients

Base Layer

• 50 g rolled oats or gluten free oats
• 100 g dried shredded (dessicated) coconut
• 400 g dried dates, not sugared, stones removed
• 120 g walnuts
• 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder, minimum 20% cocoa butter content
• 2 tsp real vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 80 g homemade whey (see 1st tip) or kombucha or (40 g live yoghurt + 40 g water)

Middle layer

• 250 g raw cashews
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 100 g water
• 400 g coconut milk (1x400ml tin)
• 200 g real maple syrup – see 2nd tip
• 1 tsp real vanilla extract
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 200 g coconut oil

Top layer

• 150 g coconut oil
• 200 g dark chocolate 60-80%, chips or small pieces – see 3rd tip

Method

Base Layer

1. Blend oats, coconut, dates, walnuts, cocoa powder, vanilla and sea salt 20 sec/speed 6.
2. Add whey and mix 5 sec/speed 5. Line a rectangular cake tin (approx. 20×30 cm) with enough greaseproof paper to hang over the sides and ends, then transfer base mixture to lined cake tin and press down flat with your hands or a spatula (if the mixture is too sticky, place another piece of greaseproof paper on top of it, then press flat). Peel off and discard top layer of greaseproof paper if used. Place tin with base layer in fridge to chill while making middle layer.

Middle layer

1. Blend cashews, sea salt, water, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon juice and coconut oil 2 min/speed 10, then pour on top of base layer and spread out evenly. Place in fridge (not freezer) to chill overnight – see 4th tip.
2. The next day, 3 hours before you add the top layer, transfer baking tin from fridge to freezer for base and middle layers to become more solid.

Top layer

1. Melt coconut oil and chocolate 4 min/50°C/speed 2.
2. Scrape down sides of TM bowl with spatula, then continue melting without heat 3 min/speed 3 until completely melted and smooth.
3. Mix 1 min/speed 1, then pour onto middle layer and spread out evenly to create top layer – it will start to set almost immediately.
4. Boil a kettle, then carefully fill ¾ full a heat-proof jug with hot water.
5. When the chocolate ganache top layer is set, dip a straight edged kitchen knife in the jug of hot water for approx. 10 seconds, dry it carefully with a cloth and allow the hot knife to gently melt the chocolate layer before cutting all the way down through the middle and base layers – this takes patience, as you need to dip the knife into hot water and wipe it clean after each cut. Cut 8 rows down the long side of the baking tin, and 5 rows the other way, to give 40 Nanaimo Bars. Serve one bar per person, immediately returning the rest to the fridge so they don’t melt. Keeps well in fridge up to 2 weeks or in freezer up to 6 months.

Janie’s Tips

1. See my video ‘Greek Yoghurt and Wonderful Whey’ to make whey that has live probiotics – probiotics may help you absorb more nutrients. If whey or kombucha is not available, 40 g dairy or non-dairy live yoghurt + 40 g water may be substituted.
2. Real maple syrup is a delicious natural sweetener, made by boiling and reducing the sap from maple trees in eastern Canada and north-eastern United States. I always avoid artificial maple syrups because the ingredients usually include high fructose corn syrup and other unwanted ingredients like sulphites, artificial flavourings and preservatives.
3. Choose a dark chocolate that suits your family’s palate. The higher cocoa percentages will be less sweet and the lower cocoa percentages will be more sweet.
4. Chilling the Nanaimo Bars base and middle layer overnight in step 3 in the fridge (not the freezer) allows the nuts to absorb liquid so the middle layer becomes thick.
5. If you don’t have a baking tin of the correct size, use two square baking tins, each 18×18 cm or 20×20 cm.
6. To make 20 pieces instead of 40, use a square baking tin 18×18 cm or 20×20 cm, halve all ingredients and follow same instructions in all steps except in step 1 of top layer, where melting of the half quantity of chocolate and coconut oil is 3 min/50°C/speed 2.
7. This recipe is vegetarian and vegan.
8. For gluten free (GF), use gluten free oats – please read ingredient labels to ensure all your ingredients are gluten free if gluten free is required.
9. For dairy free (DF), use dairy free chocolate, and instead of whey use kombucha (or diary free live yoghurt and water – see first tip above) – please read ingredient labels to ensure all your other ingredients are dairy free too.