Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
A no-bake Canadian classic: chocolate-coconut biscuit base, creamy custard icing and a glossy chocolate top. Rich, sweet and irresistible in little squares.
Nanaimo bars are Canada's best-loved no-bake treat: a coconut and almond crumb base, a creamy custard middle, and a glossy dark chocolate top. They come together entirely in the fridge, which makes them about as fail-safe as a sweet can get. Cut into neat squares, each one is rich, sweet and very moreish.
Jump to recipe
Prep 30 min
Cook 5 min
Total 35 min
Easy
Scale:
- 125g Custard
- 50g Caster Sugar
- 5 tbs Cocoa
- 1 beaten Egg
- 200g shredded Digestive Biscuits
- 100g Desiccated Coconut
- 50g Almonds
- 4 tbs Double Cream
- 3 tbs Custard Powder
- 250g Icing Sugar
- 150g Dark Chocolate
- 50g Butter
Tags:
Treat Snack Dairy
Preparation
- Begin with the biscuit base. In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter with the sugar and cocoa powder, stirring until smooth. Whisk in the egg for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture thickens. Take it off the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs, coconut and almonds, then press into the base of a lined 20cm square tin and chill for 10 minutes.
- For the middle layer, make the custard icing. Whisk the butter, cream and custard powder together until light and fluffy, then add the icing sugar a little at a time until fully combined. Spread it over the base and chill for at least 10 minutes, until firm.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave, spread over the chilled bars and return to the fridge. Leave until the chocolate has set completely, about 2 hours, then lift out of the tin and cut into squares to serve.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Press the base down firmly so the bars hold together cleanly when you slice them.
- Set each layer in the fridge before adding the next, so they stay distinct.
- A warm, dry knife gives clean edges through the chocolate top.
- Give the chocolate a couple of hours to set fully before cutting, otherwise it cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are named after the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia, where the recipe first became well known.
No. Aside from briefly cooking the base over heat, they are a no-bake treat set entirely in the fridge.
Chill them thoroughly, then cut with a knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between cuts, pressing firmly through the chocolate.
In an airtight container in the fridge they last up to a week, and they freeze well too.
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