Nanaimo Bars

Nothing needs to be said. You know these are gooooood.
They're Nanaimo style but made in Ontario.

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut or almond

1. Grease a 9x9 pan.

2. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.

3. Stir in sugar and cocoa powder and then gradually whisk in beaten egg. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (1-2 min.)

4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, graham crumbs and coconut (or almond)

5. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about an hour)


Filling:

1/4 cup butter
2-3 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. vanilla custard powder or vanilla pudding powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups icing sugar

1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter.

2. Beat in the remaining ingredients.

3. If mixture is too thick to spread, add a little more milk (Be careful! Only a few drops at a time)

4. spread the filling over the bottom layer, cover and refrigerate until firm (about 30 min.)

Topping:

4 Ounces semi sweet Chocolate
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1. In a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter.

2. spread over filling and refrigerate.


To Serve:

To prevent the chocolate from cracking, using a sharp knife, bring the squares to room temperature before cutting.

Sweet Revenge Brownies

A recipe shared by my Mom. The chocolate lover's brownie dreams come true.

1 cup Chocolate Chips
1 cup Butter (or margarine)
2 cups white sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs


1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. do not attempt to bake at a higher temprature or the brownies will burn. Generously grease a 9x13" baking pan with butter

2. Combine chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring contantly, until choclate and butter are melted. Remove from heat.

3. whisk in the white sugar until blended, followed by the eggs, one at a time. Then stir in flour, salt and vanilla.

4. Pour into pan and smooth evenly.

5. Bake for 55 minutes. Cool brownies on counter, then cool completely in the fridge. After they are cooled completely these very moist brownies are much easier to remove from the pan. Store in fridge.

Butterscotch Squares

From the Mennonite Community Cookbook, these are a quick fix when you don't have time to fiddle with making cookies.

1/4 cup Butter
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts (or chocolate chips)
1 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter and blend with sugar. Add egg and beat vigorously.

Sift flour. (which we don't have to do anymore but it's kind of quaint to see it in these older cookbooks)

Measure and add baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to egg and sugar mixture and mix together well.

Add chopped nuts/chocolate chips and vanilla.

Spread dough in a greased pan 8x8 inches (9x9 is fine)Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cut in squares or bars while warm. Makes 18 to 20 squares.

*Some recipes don't work the best if you try to double them and bake in a bigger pan. These actually work great for that. If you do double the recipe make sure you stick a toothpick in at the end of 30 minutes to make sure they're done. You'll most likely have to add on a couple of minutes.