NANAIMO BARS

Nanaimo is not only well-known for it's beautiful harbour, great outdoor recreational opportunities, friendly people, bathtub race and vibrant city, but for our World Famous Nanaimo Bars! You've seen them in your local bakery, Tim Horton's and in the baking section of your local food store. Well they came from here and we're darn proud of it. And our website has the best recipes you'll find! In fact in January 2002, Petra sent us this note, "Just wanted to thank you for publishing the only authentic recipe I could find for that famous ultra-mega-munchie. I spent hours on-line to all those cooking website including, you guessed it, Martha Stewart's!

And we're also darn proud of the quality accommodation and service we provide at The Buccaneer Inn. We've been part of Nanaimo since 1963 and have been providing warm, friendly, comfortable accommodation ever since! With our new renovations, spotlessly clean homey atmosphere and great location along Waterfront Row on Stewart Avenue, we know our 1 bedroom kitchen suites are the best value in Nanaimo! And we've just had our Canada Select rating increased from 3 stars to 3.5 stars because of all the improvements we've made here!

The ever popular Nanaimo Bar, known internationally, and a favourite dessert in many restaurants, has a notable thermal significance. During Nanaimo's heyday as an international coal provider, families of miners sent care packages which often included this sweet treat. 

According to local legend about 35 years ago, a Nanaimo housewife entered her recipe for chocolate squares in a magazine contest. In a burst of civic pride, she chose to dub the entry not "Daphne's Delights" or "Mary's Munchies", but "Nanaimo Bars". The entry won a prize, thereby publishing the town as much as her cooking. Some American tourists claim sovereignty over the dessert, referred to as "New York Slice" which is sold in many other places in the world. Nanaimo residents refuse to accept this theory, however, believing that once you set foot on Vancouver Island, there are no other places in the world. The official Nanaimo Bar recipe was available as a handout as well as on quality tea towel and apron souvenirs.

In 1986, Nanaimo Mayor Graeme Roberts, in conjunction with Harbour Park Mall, initiated a contest to find the ultimate Nanaimo Bar Recipe. During the four-week long contest, almost 100 different variations of the famous confectionery were submitted. The winner was Joyce Hardcastle.

We have collected many different Nanaimo Bar recipes for you. Give them all a try and why not experiment yourself. Let us know if you come up with a new twist to a traditional favourite! Send an email!

JOYCE'S OFFICIAL NANAIMO BAR RECIPE

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

Judy from Lake Havasu let us know that she used egg nog in place of the cream in the custard and it was a huge hit (December 17, 2004).

ARLENE'S PEANUT BUTTER NANAIMO BARS

3 semi-sweet chocolate squares
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Base:
Melt chocolate and butter for 2 minutes in microwave. Mix in sugar, vanilla and egg. Add crumbs, coconut and nuts, then press in pan. Chill. Then add filling.

Filling:
2 Tbsp custard powder
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups icing sugar

Icing:
Melt 5 squares semi-sweet chocolate with 1 Tbsp butter in microwave (or on med heat on stovetop) for 3 to 4 minutes.
Spread over filling.

CHERRY ALMOND NANAIMO BARS

Base

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/3 c. cocoa
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 c. chopped almonds, toasted

Filling

• 2 c. sifted icing sugar
• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 2 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1/3 c. chopped maraschino cherries

Glaze

• 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp. butter