Dessert history from Vancouver Island may be lost amid chocolate, sugar, butter
BY JUDY HEVRDEJS
Chicago Tribune
This is the story of a legendary food. And as with all legendary foods, there are tall tales, controversies and, at least with Nanaimo bars, the discreet mention of sex.
The layered cookies get their name from a town called Nanaimo (pronounced nuhNIGH-moe) on Vancouver Island, a bay away from the Winter Olympics 2010. They are a sweet pleasure with a base of crushed graham crackers, nuts and coconut topped with a buttery middle layer, then finished with glossy semisweet chocolate.
There are variations on this theme, of course. Some recipes use Bird’s Custard Powder in the filling, others peanut butter.
By most accounts, the recipe traces its roots to the church ladies of Nanaimo. Some say the treats were originally called Mabel bars.
The biggest dispute? That the bars really were created thousands of miles away and are called “New York Slices.”
For insight, we tracked down a University of Victoria English professor and fifthgeneration Nanaimo native named Kim Blank.
When he wasn’t writing about Wordsworth and Shelley, Blank wrote the humor book “Sex, Life Itself and the Original Nanaimo Bar Recipe.”
“Nanaimo bars always have been famous around here as having mythological origins,” he told us. “However, no one has been able to claim to have found the origins of the recipe, except my dear old mum.” Mum it turns out, had a beat-up recipe book from the Women’s Association at Brechin Church dating to the early 1950s. “As far as I was concerned, being a literary scholar, now I had textual evidence.”
He also stuck the recipe in the back of his “Sex” book.
“How could you go wrong with sex and food?”
Can’t argue with that.
Canadian Living magazine has run numerous recipes for these bars, including this basic version.
Nanaimo Bars
Makes: 48 bars 2 eggs, lightly beaten 11⁄3cups melted butter, divided for use, plus 2 tablespoons unmelted 2⁄3cup cocoa ½ cup granulated sugar 3 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups shredded coconut 1 cup finely chopped walnuts ¼ cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 4 cups confectioners’ sugar 8 ounces semisweet choco-late, chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 13-by-9-inch cake pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving 1-inch extending over long edges; set aside.
Whisk together eggs, 1 cup of the melted butter, cocoa and sugar in large bowl; stir in crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
Stir together remaining ⅓ cup of the melted butter, milk and vanilla in medium bowl; beat in confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled base. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
Place chocolate in a microwave- safe bowl with remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter. Heat 1 minute; stir. Heat 30 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. Spread evenly over filling. Score the surface into serving size pieces.
Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Use parchment paper to lift bars from pan; peel off paper.
Cut into bars.
Per bar: 184 calories, 50 percent of calories from fat, 11g fat, 6g saturated fat, 24mg cholesterol, 22g carbohydrates, 2g protein, 47mg sodium, 1g fiber.
An Additional Recipe and more info is at this link http://www.joyofbaking.com/NanaimoBars.html
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Nutella Pudding
Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups whole milk
4 eggs
6 yolks
2/3 cup sugar
2.5 ounces 70% dark chocolate
12 ounces nutella
METHOD:
Bring milk to a boil.
Remove from the heat, add nutella and dark chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes, and then blend together with a hand blender or whisk.
In a separate bowl, whip eggs, yolks and sugar together by hand until well blended. Temper hot milk mixture slowly into egg mixture while whisking. Make sure to add egg mixture slowly so they do not scramble.
Strain the mixture through a sieve and pour into ramekins and place them on a baking dish.
Create a water bath by filling a baking dish with hot water, half way up the side of the ramekins.
Cover the whole pan with aluminum foil; bake at 325°F for approximately 30-40 minutes or until just set.
Remove from the oven and let cool 30 minutes before refrigerating them.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Cucumber Water
My newest gotta have product is Sparkling Cucumber water...awhile back at the hairdresser my stylist recommended that I try Water laced with Cut up Cucumber.She had tried it while having a massage at the local spa...Being busy I never got round to trying it!
Whole Foods last night came to my taste buds rescue..they were sampling Knudson Sparkling Cucumber Essence Water and Now I am addicted...Try and you will be too! It is also available in Mint,Lemon and Blueberry.
Whole Foods last night came to my taste buds rescue..they were sampling Knudson Sparkling Cucumber Essence Water and Now I am addicted...Try and you will be too! It is also available in Mint,Lemon and Blueberry.
"The subtle essence of fresh cucumber flavor meets the tingling sensation of effervescent spring water. This light and refreshing organic sparkling beverage offers pure spring water infused with organic lemon and organic cucumber extract to create a spa-like experience, but without any calories, added sugar, or artificial ingredients.Just pure refreshment."
Available Size(s): 10.5 oz
Available Size(s): 10.5 oz
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Friday, February 12, 2010
Limoncello and Lemon Cream Fruit Tart
Limoncello and Lemon Cream Fruit Tart
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray- Prep Time:
- 15 min
- Inactive Prep Time:
- hr min
- Cook Time:
- hr min
- Level:
- Easy
- Serves:
- 6 servings
Ingredients
1 store-bought sponge cake tart shell, 12-inch diameter, available in produce orbakery departments
2 ounces chilled limoncello liqueur
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup lemon curd
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint blackberries
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons very thinly sliced mint leaves
Directions
Remove the tart cake from thepackaging, put it on a cake plate and douse with the liqueur. In a small bowl whisk or beat the cream,
mascarpone cheese and lemon curd to combine. Fill the tart with the cheese mixture and top with the berries,
lemon zest and mint.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
White Chocolate
I am very good 9 out of 10 times I can drive by our local Chocolate shop ,unfortunately its that 10th time that piles on the pounds.
We are lucky to have a wonderful little boutique shop run by a Frenchman and his American wife,it is called Christophe Artisan Chocolates
The other day I remarked to him that his white chocolate was so good,when I was younger white chocolate was one of my favorite indulgences..but over the years I couldnt find a white chocolate that reminded me of my childhood in England.
He shared his source for white Chocolate ..Guitard Chocolate based in California.
So next time you need white chocolate for a recipe be sure to select Guittard White Chocolate
We are lucky to have a wonderful little boutique shop run by a Frenchman and his American wife,it is called Christophe Artisan Chocolates
The other day I remarked to him that his white chocolate was so good,when I was younger white chocolate was one of my favorite indulgences..but over the years I couldnt find a white chocolate that reminded me of my childhood in England.
He shared his source for white Chocolate ..Guitard Chocolate based in California.
So next time you need white chocolate for a recipe be sure to select Guittard White Chocolate
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