Welcome to our friend Laurie Emerslund’s special Nanaimo Bars recipe, flavoured with the delicious taste of Monsoon Coast Chai products. This recipe, passed down from her mother, blends tradition with creativity for a unique flavour. Get ready to enjoy layers of chocolate, custard, and chai spice that will delight your taste buds. Let’s savour Laurie’s Nanaimo Bars together, where each bite shares a story of love, family heritage, and the comforting warmth of Monsoon Coast Chai.
Triple Chai Nanaimo Bars
This is adapted from my mother's recipe for Nanaimo bars. She made them every year at Christmas, much to the delight of the family. I hope you enjoy this variation on a theme as much as my family did at a recent gathering!
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Ingredients
Base Layer
- ½ cup butter
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 5 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg beaten
- 2 cups Graham Wafer crumbs
- 1 cup Shredded Coconut
- ½ cup Maple Chai Cashews chopped
Filling
- 8 tbsp butter softened
- 2 tbsp Custard Powder
- 4 tbsp Milk
- 1.25 cup Icing Sugar
- ¾ tsp Chai Pie Spice
Topping
- 1 Chai Chocolate Bar Dark preferred - Regular Dark chocolate will work as well
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp Maple Chai Cashews Finely Chopped - Optional
Instructions
Base Layer
- Line an ungreased 8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches hanging out to allow easier removal from the pan.
- Place butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla extract and egg in a bowl set in a pan of hot water. Stir until butter is melted and the mixture is the consistency of custard.½ cup butter, 5 tbsp sugar, 5 tbsp Cocoa Powder, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, 1 Egg
- Mix graham crumbs, coconut and nuts together and stir into the butter mixture until well blended.2 cups Graham Wafer, 1 cup Shredded Coconut, ½ cup Maple Chai Cashews
- Add mixture to the pan and press firmly into the bottom. You might have more mixture than you need, so keep adding and pressing until desired thickness is reached, but it has to be at least about half an inch thick.
Filling
- Beat the soft butter separately until whipped and creamy.8 tbsp butter
- Add the custard powder and mix in, then add the milk and mix in.2 tbsp Custard Powder, 4 tbsp Milk
- Add in the icing sugar and spice and beat until mixture is the consistency of icing. If still not smooth, add a bit more milk and mix until smooth.1.25 cup Icing Sugar, ¾ tsp Chai Pie Spice
- Spread over the base and allow to harden.
Topping
- Break the Chai bar into small pieces and melt with the butter in a bowl over warm water.1 Chai Chocolate Bar, 1 tbsp butter
- Spread evenly over the icing layer and sprinkle chopped nuts over top if desired.2 tbsp Maple Chai Cashews
- Refrigerate until set.
- Cut into small pieces and enjoy!
Notes
I like to score cutting lines in the chocolate before it is completely hardened. This makes for neater cuts. It also helps to run hot water over the blade before each cut - just make sure to dry the knife off before cutting each time!
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