Dessert

Nanaimo Bars aka Canadian Breakfast

October 21st, 2008  |  Published in Dessert, Portland, Vegan A Go-Go, Vegan MoFo

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting the prolific vegan Sarah Kramer.  If you follow her blog, you’ll know all the different projects she always has on the go, and that somehow between it all she’s managed to write another cookbook!  This one is a pocket sized volume targeted to the traveling vegan, and is suitably titled Vegan A Go-Go.  It’s filled with reader favourites from past books, travel tips and new recipes, many of which are designed to be easy to prepare on the road, or to come along with you easily.

Sarah Kramer

Sarah came to Portland to promote the book, and I went to meet her at Herbivore.  She had brought treats with her, and although prior to my arrival I had just finished a slice of pumpkin cheesecake from Sweetpea Bakery, I couldn’t resist trying one of the nanaimo bars she had made.  It had been years since I tasted this treat from my home country, but as far as I could tell, it was exactly the way I remember it!  I purchased my copy of the book, and couldn’t wait to make them for myself!

Last night was yet another TV night at Suzie and Maeve’s house, and I figured it was the perfect opportunity to try the nanaimo bars.  A nanaimo bar consists of three layers.  The first is a chocolaty crumb crust, which is topped with a layer of custard or frosting, in this case frosting with a touch of turmeric to give it the yellow colour of the non-vegan variety, and then finished off with a layer of melted chocolate.  There is no baking involoved, you just leave the tray in the fridge for a couple of hours, and you end up with this!

Nanaimo Bars

It’s just that easy to make your own tasty Canadian treat.  Get the book and make them for your friends, and it’s ok if you eat them for breakfast, I just did!

Nanaimo Bars