Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

Saturday at the farmers' market, I spied Nanaimo bars and almost gave in to the temptation to buy one even for the outrageous price of $2 each.  Just moments later, Steve purchased a canning book at a yard sale and a single handwritten sheet came fluttering out with a recipe for peanut butter Nanaimo bars.  He made them for Mother's Day and they were everything we hoped they might be.

(Steve said to note that the recipe states that this is the University of British Columbia's peanut butter Nanaimo bar recipe, which means that it's been studied by the Institute for the Study of Nanaimo Bars, seeing as Nanaimo is IN BC.)

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

Base

• 1/2 C | 120 g butter
• 1/4 C | 55 g sugar
• 5 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 3/4 C graham cracker crumbs
• 1 C fine coconut
• 1/2 C finely chopped peanuts

Filling

• 6 T | 100 g peanut butter
• 2 T | 30 g butter
• 3 T | 45 g milk
• 2 T vanilla custard powder
• 2 C | 260 g icing sugar

Topping

• 4 1-oz squares semisweet chocolate
• 2 T | 30 g butter

For Base: Mix together butter, sugar and cocoa powder in top of double boiler (or pan that you watch very carefully).  Add egg and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat.  Stir in graham cracker crumbs, coconut and nuts.  Press firmly into 9" square pan.

For Filling: Cream peanut butter, butter, milk, custard powder and icing sugar.  Spread over base.

For Topping: Melt chocolate and butter over low heat (or in microwave).  Cool.  When cool, but still runny, spread over filling layer.  

Chill and store in refrigerator.