It is always a joy to look back through our memories, or through Grandma’s recipe box to rediscover a family favourite and reminisces about the loved ones we shared them with, and the fun times we had making them. What Mom and I have come to realize while creating content for our blog is that we are adding new memories to these family favourites and contributing our own new recipes along the way. It is exciting to think that I may one day tell the next generation of our family about the recipe’s mom, and I workshopped together. And, that I will have evidence of the time we spent together through the blog and the recipe cards we have added to my grandmother’s recipe box.

Like our Ginger Nanaimo Bar recipe, this recipe was brainstormed in the living room between commercial breaks and paused television shows. Although we are aware that hazelnut Nanaimo bars have been done before we wanted to make sure that our recipe had the right balance of all the ingredients. In our first attempt we used butter and hazelnut chocolate spread for the middle layer. The butter was to add richness, but it diluted the flavour of the hazelnut chocolate spread and we realized that there was not enough hazelnut flavour.

We wracked our brains trying to figure out how we could enhance the hazelnut flavour. At first, we thought hazelnut extract, which could work but then thought perhaps not everyone would have hazelnut extract. After a few weeks of talking through it we decided to try adding hazelnut butter to the icing layer along with the chocolate hazelnut spread. We knew we had a winner as soon as we tasted the rich and nutty icing.

Not everyone will have hazelnut butter or want to purchase it for this recipe. You can work around it by substituting the hazelnut butter for more chocolate hazelnut spread. If you can though, go out there and pick up some hazelnut butter, you can get it in bulk and purchase just enough for this recipe, it really adds a hazelnut punch to the bar.

We were finally happy with the recipe when at the last-minute mom was hit with a brilliant idea. Instead of just having a plain chocolate topping she thought we should add some finely chopped hazelnuts to the chocolate. It worked and turned it into a beautiful and decadent Nanaimo bar that we hope you will enjoy and share with your friends and family.

Base Ingredients

½ cup salted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup cocoa powder
1 egg at room temperature
1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup shredded coconut
⅓ cup coarsely roasted hazelnut

Measure out 1/3 of a cup of hazelnuts for the bottom layer and 1/4 of a cup for the chocolate topping. In a 257°F oven place the hazelnuts on a pan and roast for 5-10 mins watching closely as nuts can quickly go from roasted to burnt. Some suggest a higher temperature oven but we prefer low and slow. Let the nuts cool before pouring them into a tea towel and rubbing it together to remove as much of the brown skin as you can. Set aside ¼ cup of the hazelnuts to finely chop for the chocolate topping.

In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut, coarsely chopped hazelnuts. We prefer our nuts to be coarsely chopped (¼ of an inch pieces) so we can taste them when we take a bite, but a lot of recipes for Nanaimo bar call for finely chopped nuts.

Melt butter on low heat in a medium to large saucepan. Remove from heat and add sugar and cocoa powder whisking until combined.

Quickly whisk the egg into the butter mixture to keep the egg from scrambling and return to heat. Turn the heat up to medium and whisk continuously for 2 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat.

Add the dry ingredients to the sauce pan, stir quickly until combined and pour into a prepared 8 inch square pan.

We recommend lining your square pan with parchment paper, you will see why in the last few steps.

Evenly spread the mixture in the pan and then press down. You can use your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to obtain an even and flat surface. Set aside until completely cooled, approximately 20 mins.

Middle

¼ hazelnut butter
⅓ hazelnut chocolate spread
2 tbsp custard powder
1/4 cup milk
2 cups icing sugar

This middle layer has a different texture from most Nanaimo bars. The nut butter and spread change the consistency from an icing to a soft nougat texture. We used a handheld mixer, but you may want to consider using a stand mixer as it is a very stiff icing.

In a medium bowl combine the hazelnut butter, hazelnut chocolate spread and custard powder. If you do not have hazelnut butter you can substitute that ingredient for the hazelnut chocolate spread. Mix the three ingredients together and add ½ a cup of icing sugar and one tablespoon of the milk. As you can see in the picture the icing will lump together at first, the icing will smooth out.

Continue alternating between adding ½ cup of icing sugar and a tablespoon of milk until both ingredients are done. Beat the icing on high for 2-3 mins until it lightens slightly in colour.

Ensuring the layers are even in a Nanaimo Bar is not easy. For the icing mom came up with this useful trick. Using a cookie scoop we place 9 scoops of icing, 3 across, 3 down over the base.

Slowly spread each scoop until the icing evenly coats the base. We noticed that this icing pulled up occasionally as we spread it. Take your time, it will spread it just needs a little work.

Set aside for at least 10 minutes, this allows for the icing to set and will make it easy for us to spread the chocolate layer over top.

Chocolate Topping Ingredients

4 oz. milk chocolate chips
2 tbsp salted butter
¼ cup of finely chopped roasted hazelnuts

To compliment the hazelnut icing we decided to use milk chocolate chips as we didn’t want the chocolate topping to be overpowering. In a stroke of genius mom suggested that we try adding finely chopped roasted hazelnuts to the chocolate topping. It not only enhances the hazelnut flavour, it looks beautiful and unlike any Nanaimo bar we have seen. You can omit the hazelnuts from the topping but we highly recommend it.

Add chocolate and butter into a microwavable wet measuring cup. On 50% power, heat the chocolate and butter in the microwave for 30 second intervals stirring in between until chips are fully melted. Add the finely chopped hazelnuts and pour over the middle layer spreading evenly with a offset spatula. If you do not have an offset spatula, you can use the back of a spoon. Cover and place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

Remove the Nanaimo bar from the fridge and allow it to warm up for 10-15 minutes. We do not have a knife that can cut all the way across the bar, so I make the first cut in the second row. This way I only need to cut the remaining pieces over the length of 2 or 3 bars. If the chocolate topping starts to crack when you are cutting the bar let it warm up for a little bit longer and try again. Store the bar in the refrigerator. Enjoy.