Cherry Almond Nanaimo Bars
A twist on the classic Nanaimo bar. Graham crumbs, coconut, + almond make up the crust, with a sweet cherry icing, and drizzled with dark chocolate.
Servings: 16 squares
Equipment
- 8 or 9 inch square pan
Ingredients
Coconut Almond Graham Base
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (I use Dutch processed)
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup shredded coconut (I use unsweetened but sweetened is fine too)
- 1¾ cup graham wafer crumbs*
- ½ cup raw almonds, chopped medium
Cherry Icing
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature*
- 2 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice (from a jar of cherries)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups icing sugar, sifted if lumpy
- ⅓ cup maraschino cherries, chopped medium
Chocolate Drizzle
- 2 ounces dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
Coconut Almond Graham Base
- Prepare an 8 or 9 inch pan by lining it with foil or parchment paper, and greasing it with cooking spray or butter.
- Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and beaten egg in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly to prevent the egg from curdling. Stir until mixture is combined and starts to thicken.
- Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in coconut, graham crumbs, and almonds. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and press in firmly. Make sure it is evenly spread in the pan. I use the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten the surface and press in. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Cherry Icing
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter using an electric mixer. Add the cherry juice and almond extract and mix. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until it is s a smooth, spreadable consistency. On low, mix in the maraschino cherries.
- Spread the cherry icing evenly over the chilled coconut almond graham base. Return the pan to the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
Chocolate Drizzle
- Chop or break apart the chocolate into small pieces so that it melts more easily. Place in a small bowl with the butter and microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Do not over-do it otherwise the chocolate could seize. Once melted and smooth, use a fork to flick/drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the cherry icing. If it's too thick, warm in the microwave briefly. Place the pan in the freezer to set.
- To cut the bars, make sure they are fully chilled or frozen so that the edges of the bars will be smooth. Remove bars from the pan, by pulling at the edges of the foil or parchment. Cut with a sharp knife in 16 squares. These bars keep best in the freezer and actually taste best right from the freezer in my opinion! The cherry icing gets a bit soft and messy if left at room temperature.
Notes
- Graham Wafer Crumbs - Make sure your crumbs are fresh, not a stale half finished bag from last year! I often make my own crumbs by grinding graham wafers in my food processor, so this is an option if you prefer or if you have crackers on hand.
- Butter for the icing really needs to be soft. If it's not, the icing will have little butter chunks in it. Microwave it on low for very short bursts, like 10 seconds at a time if your butter is cold. Do not melt.
- Use unsalted, salted or a combination of both for this recipe. I've used both kinds, and a mixture of both and haven't noticed a difference.