I should really know better by now than to start my Christmas baking anytime besides the day before Christmas. I had the best of intentions when I made these no-bake beauties a couple weeks ago.
A jump on my holiday baking, I thought.
I’ll bake for the freezer, I said.
I need to test a new recipe, I justified.
Perhaps I’ll save them for a bake exchange, I reasoned.
I need to eat all the bars, my belly said.
Thankfully I was able to give a few away to a friend, since Carl was out of town and the remaining two dozen or so all went straight into my belly. I’m still blaming my sweet baby, but, if you want to know the truth, the residual “baby belly” is made entirely of mint chocolate.
I rub that belly with no less joy and love than a real baby belly, so no one’s the wiser.
I’m hosting a bake exchange this week and am determined at least some of that baking will make it to Christmas…I may look into installing a lock on my freezer and giving the key to someone stronger than myself for safekeeping.
But these Nanaimo bars...traditional Nanaimo bars have always been one of my all-time favourite treats, and then there were my sister Chelsea’s Orange Nanaimo bars, and now there are these. Festivity in an easy, no-bake, green-tinted square – an absolute must-make for your holiday season and perrrfect for bake exchanges, if, unlike me, you’re willing to let them go.
- BASE:
- 1 cup mint chocolate chips
- ½ cup butter
- 1⅓ cups graham wafer crumbs
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut
- FILLING:
- 2 cups icing sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar)
- ¼ cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 2 Tbsp custard powder
- ½ tsp mint extract
- Green food colouring
- TOPPING:
- ¾ cup mint chocolate chips
- 2 tsp vegetable/canola oil
- BASE: In medium saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with butter. When melted, remove from heat and stir in graham crumbs and coconut. Press evenly into a 9-inch square pan or 8x11-inch pan. Chill in the freezer while you mix up the filling.
- FILLING: With electric mixer, blend icing sugar with softened butter, milk, custard powder and mint extract. Add a few drops of green food colouring to achieve desired colour and counteract the yellow from the custard powder. Spread frosting evenly over base and return to freezer while you make the topping.
- TOPPING: Melt chocolate chips and oil in microwave. Zap for 45 seconds, stir, and continue heating in 20-30 second increments as necessary, stirring after each increment, until melted and smooth. Spread evenly over filling.
- Let chill in the fridge until set. When cutting, score chocolate with a sharp knife before going back and cutting all the way through to minimize cracking the chocolate. Store in airtight container in the fridge for a week, or freeze for longer storage.
Source: Chipits mint chocolate chips package
Oh my goodness… I’m speechless with this one! My fiance and his brothers would abolutely love these!! They look heavenly
sweet! When you mentioned a few weeks ago you had mentioned you made these… and I came to look for the recipe on your blog… glad it’s up now :) these will be on my to-make list soon!
I luuuuurv no bake slices! I have only recently discovered them so I read recipes that batch my eye with great interest! Thanks for sharing this!
I’ve been waiting for this! THANK YOU! Might even make them tonight … :) My December just won’t be complete without them!
Aaaaah, yum! The love of mint chocolate things is deep and unconditional in this house. I may have to make Nick some. :)