Recipe: Nanaimo Bars

NANAIMO BARS

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
2 cups graham wafers (cracker crumbs)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
FILLING:
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
2 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. instant vanilla custard or vanilla pudding powder
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
TOPPING:
4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tbsp. butter

BOTTOM:
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add sugar, cocoa, vanilla and egg. Cook stirring over medium heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, crumbs and walnuts. Pat firmly into buttered 9-inch square baking pan. Refrigerate 1 hour.

FILLING:
Cream butter with hand mixer. Beat in milk, custard powder and powdered sugar. If mixture is too thick to spread, add few drops of milk. Spread over bottom layer. Refrigerate 30 minutes until firm.

TOP LAYER:
Melt chocolate and butter in dish or pan set over hot water. Spread over the filling. Refrigerate. Cut before chocolate hardens. Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve.