Grand Marnier Nanaimo Bars Recipes

GRAND MARNIER NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• In bowl, stir together crumbs, coconut and pecans.
• In small saucepan, gently heat butter, cocoa and sugar until butter melts.
• Remove from heat; whisk in egg.
• Blend into crumb mixture.
• Press into greased 9 inch square cake pan.
• Bake in 350F oven for 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
• Grand Marnier Layer: In bowl, place half of icing sugar with butter, mix in half of the icing sugar with butter; mix in Grand Marnier, remaining icing sugar and orange rind.
• Spread over base.
• Chocolate Topping: Stir butter into chocolate until melted; spread evenly over Grand Marnier layer.
• Let cool for 20 minutes in refrigerator; cut into bars.
• (Bars can be covered, refrigerated up to 2 weeks, or frozen up to 2 months. Let soften slightly before serving.

NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with nonstick vegetable spray.
• For the Bottom Layer: In a dry bowl, set over barely simmering water, melt the 5 pats butter and 4 ounces of semisweet chocolate. Remove from the heat and stir in the Graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts. Pat the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan to form a crust. Bake for 9 minutes until set. Let cool to room temperature, then chill.
• For the Buttercream: Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes Slowly beat in the maple syrup and Grand Marnier. Spread over the cooled crust and chill for 20 minutes to set.
• For the Chocolate Glaze: In a dry bowl, set over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the vegetable shortening and corn syrup. Spread the chocolate glaze over the buttercream layer and chill for 5 more minutes. Cut into 2 by 2 inch bars

NANAIMO BARS (WITH 6 VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• BASE: Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Stir in sugar and cocoa until smooth. Whisk egg with vanilla and stir into butter mixture. Remove from heat.
• Stir in crumbs, coconut and nuts. Press evenly over bottom of greased 9" square pan. Chill until set, at least 20 minute.
• FILLING: Beat butter with wooden spoon until light. Beat in custard powder and milk.Gradually beat in sugar. Spread over chilled base and let set in fridge.
• TOPPING: Melt together chocolate and butter; stir until smooth. Spread in even layer over chilled filling.
• Store in fridge until chocolate topping begins to harden. Score topping into 16 small bars (bites). Cut before totally solid, use a hot knife, wiping clean between cuts. Store in fridge or freeze for up to 2 months.
• FILLING VARIATIONS:.
• PEANUT BUTTER FILLING.-- 2 Tbsp Custard powder, 1/4 cup Milk, 2 Tbsp Butter; softened, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 2 cups confectioners sugar -sifted.
• MINT FILLING -- 1/3 cup butter, 3 Tbsp custard powder, Bird's brand (or substitute jello pudding powder), 1/4 cup milk, 3 cups icing sugar, 1 teaspoons peppermint flavoring, 1-2 drops green food coloring as desired.
• CAPPUCCINO FILLING -- 2 Tbsp milk, 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups confectioners sugar.
• GRAND MARNIER FILLING -- 2 cups Icing Sugar, 1/4 cup Butter; softened, 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or orange -liqueur, 1 Tbsp Orange rind; coarsely grated.
• BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM FILLING -- 1/3 cup butter, 3 Tbsp custard powder, Bird's brand (or substitute vanilla jello pudding powder), 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream, 2-3 cups icing sugar.
• CHERRY FILLING -- 1/4 cup Butter; softened, 1 tablespoons Cherry juice, 2 cups Icing sugar, 1/3 cup chopped Maraschino cherries, 1-2 drops of red food coloring.

NANAIMO BARS III

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler, combine 1/2 cup butter, white sugar and cocoa powder. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Beat in the egg, stirring until thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds (if you like). Press into the bottom of an ungreased 8x8 inch pan.
• For the middle layer, cream together 1/2 cup butter, heavy cream and custard powder until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the bottom layer in the pan. Chill to set.
• While the second layer is chilling, melt the semisweet chocolate and 2 teaspoons butter together in the microwave or over low heat. Spread over the chilled bars. Let the chocolate set before cutting into squares.

GRANDMA CHASE'S NANAIMO BARS

Steps:

• Grease a 9x13-inch dish. To make the crust, place 1/2 cup of butter in a large saucepan, and melt over low heat. Stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, mix in the egg until the mixture is well-combined, then stir in graham cracker crumbs and walnuts. Pack the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, smooth it into an even layer, and refrigerate until cooled, at least 30 minutes.
• Make the filling: beat together confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup of softened butter, pudding mix, and milk until the filling is smooth and fluffy. Spread the filling over the cooled crust, and return to refrigerator for 30 more minutes.
• For topping, melt chocolate with 2 tablespoons of butter over very low heat, and stir until the mixture is warm (not hot) and pourable. Pour the topping over the cooled filling, spreading the topping out if necessary with an offset spatula or knife to cover the topping completely. Return the dish to the refrigerator to cool the topping for about 15 minutes. When the topping is cool but not yet hard, cut into squares; return to refrigerator to finish chilling.