Tag Archives: bars

Squamish Bars

Squamish is a community on the Pacific coast of Canada, just north of Vancouver, British Columbia, not far from the place of my birth. It is known as the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.”  What’s there to do in Squamish? Hike, climb rocks, watch the bald eagles and other wildlife, go kayaking, and simply enjoy the incredible coastal landscapes.

Squamish bars are a variation on Nanaimo Bars, named after another west coast community.

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup Rice Crispies cereal
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup Cornflakes cereal
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 2 T light cream
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 t vanilla
  • 3 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
  • 1 T butter

In a large pot over low heat, beat peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in cereals. Press into a lightly oiled square pan and let cool.

In a bowl, beat icing sugar and butter; beat in cream and vanilla. Spread over cereal base and chill for 1/2 hr.

In double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate and butter. Let cool and spread evenly over filling.

Chill for 20 minutes. Cut into squares. May freeze.

Linzer Schnitten Prune Bars

Ingredients for Linzer Schnitten: spiced prune bars

  • 2 eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter or oil
  • 3-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • rind and juice of 1 lemon
  • thick Hungarian-style plum (prune) jam
  • 1 egg beaten with 3/4 cup sugar

Preparation of Linzer Schnitten: spiced prune bars

Beat eggs until light. Beat in sugar. Melt and add butter. Sift together the dry ingredients. Blend with egg mix. Add lemon rind and juice. Turn onto a board and knead until smooth. Let stand for 1 hour.

Roll 1/2″ thick. Cut into strips 1-1/2″ x 10″. Mark a groove lengthwise down the center of each strip with the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill grooves with jam.

Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 F for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and immediately brush tops with egg/sugar mixture to glaze. Cut diagonally into bars and cool.

Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo is a city on Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. It touts itself as the city so beautiful that it’s all right to stare.

The Nanaimo bar, said to be the product of local culinary ingenuity, is a no-bake chocolate-based bar that bridges the gap between a cookie and candy. Nanaimo bars are a typically Canadian dessert and incredibly decadent.  You can read about the possible origin of Nanaimo bars at Wikipedia: Nanaimo Bar.

  • 3/4 cups butter
  • 10 T cocoa
  • 2 cups coconut, unsweetened
  • 1/2 to 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 10 T sugar
  • 4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 t vanilla

For custard layer:

  • 5 T butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 pkg. instant vanilla custard or pudding powder
  • 2 cups icing sugar

For chocolate topping

  • 5 squares semi-sweet chocolate

Melt butter and add cocoa powder. Beat eggs with sugar, add cocoa butter mix, vanilla, coconut, walnuts, and cracker crumbs. Press into bottom of greased pans.

Mix vanilla custard powder with 1/4 cup milk, 2 cups icing sugar, and 5 T butter to make a pasty thick custard. Spread on top of graham cracker base.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate squares and spread evenly on top.

Servings:  two 8×8″ pans


For vegans, here’s a vegan version of the Nanaimo bar:  http://about.spud.com/blog-nanaimo-bars/

Nanaimo, B.C., Canada: Nanaimo Bars
Nanaimo, B.C., Canada

Plum bars

Pflaumenkuchen

  • 2 T butter
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 t lemon rind
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1 cup wholewheat flour
  • 3 cup halved prune plums

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Stir in milk and lemon rind. Sift together baking powder, salt and flour. Combine with butter mix. Spread in a greased pan.

Cover with halved plums and bake at 325 F for 20 minutes. Cut into squares.