Chocolate mint nanaimo bars

[raweater]

I remember making some of these a long time ago and they're really good, they're a layer of chocolate, a layer of mint and another thin layer of chocolate (sometimes the middle layer is vanilla but I only ever had the mint ones).

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AX6q66lD96E/RnZmJ5-mV9I/AAAAAAAAASI/bcr0qMO0vRY/s400/chocolate+mint+nanaimo+bars.jpg

I'm gonna try to make a raw version, I'm thinking of using my chocolate cake recipe for the base layer, a blend of macadamia nuts, cococnut oil, agave and mint essential oil for the middle and maybe some spirulina powder for green color, and top it with molten chocolate (cacao, cacao butter, agave).

I'll let you know how it goes and once I have the measurements.

[katchmoleen]

The eBook "Just Desserts" has already done the work for you. This is one of my daughters' favorite raw desserts. I made them again at Thanksgiving. I had never heard of them....must be a Canadian thing?

[snoops]

...must be a Canadian thing?

Tis - Nanaimo is a city on Vancouver Island. They are my favorite SAD desserts!!:eek:

[DopeRawAbundance]

I recommend peppermint leaves instead of mint essential oil. See that gween? I didn't have to add spirulina. I even bought it when I made the cake thinking I'd need it for coloring. (great minds think stuff) How'd it taste you ask? Ever had an Andes Mint?

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8909/cake2z.jpg

[Tirza]

I had never heard of them....must be a Canadian thing?


Do I ever remember those Nanaimo Bars! Our filling was vanilla, like buttercream. I think it had instant vanilla pudding in it for thickening. I never heard of mint in it until many years later. I still liked the vanilla best.

Oh YEAH! Canadian for sure!
From an old B.C. girl EH?
(That's British Columbia, but not from Nanaimo)

[dierochell]

Where's the recipe guys? You're making me hungry just listening and seeing these picture!

Whoooooohoooooo! I think I'm starting to feel the energy from eating raw.

dierochell

[raweater]

Sorry, I had visitors over when I finally made them so I didn't take the time to take the measurements but they were so good I'll make more today or tomorrow and will take the time to note the amounts. I had also made too little of the mint layer so I'll make more this time.

[T-Bird]

Ever had an Andes Mint?


OMG dope!!!!

Lay down that recipe!

I expect my mint to start growing in a february thaw, and I want to be ready!!!

[cbritton]

I'm definitely waiting for this recipe!

[raweater]

OK, I redid it but as I put the agave for the mint layer I just squirted it into the blender and forgot to measure it but I think it was about half a cup.

Bottom chocolate layer (this is the chocolate cake recipe from my recipe book):
2 cups walnuts
3/4 cups dates (if not fresh, soak 20 minutes)
1/2 cup cacao powder

Process in food processor until fine. Press down firmly in a square pan to form the bottom layer.

Middle mint layer:
2 cups macadamias and/or cashews (I used 1 cup of each)
1/2 cup agave (this is where I didn't measure but it's pretty close to half a cup)
10 drops peppermint essential oil
3/4 tsp spirulina powder, optional for green color

Blend in a high speed blender until smooth. It is likely possible to do this in a food processor but I didn't try and it certainly wouldn't be as smooth. Don't attempt this in a regular blender, if you don't have a Blendtec or Vitamix, try with a food processor, this is much too thick for a regular blender. Spread evenly over the bottom layer.

Top chocolate layer:
1/2 cup cacao butter, melted (I fill a pot half way with hot water and put it on low heat, then find a metal bowl small enough to fit in the pan and put it in the hot water and put the cacao butter in the bowl to melt, the water prevents the temperature from getting too high)
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup agave

Mix ingredients togheter and spread evenly over the mint layer.

Put in freezer for 30 minutes for accelerated setting of the melted chocolate, then store in fridge.

[RawSar]

mmmmm awesome raweater!!
I'm going to give these a try!! I love Nanaimo bars !!!

[laura-jane]

Yep, it is a Canadian thing. I grew up in Parksville, which is half an hour from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia.

They are delicious. I'd love a good raw Nanaimo Bar recipe. Yours sounds great. I'm adding it to my "Make these!!" pile of recipes.

[Diana Cda]

Thanks, Raweater for the Nanaimo Bar recipe. Yes, living more near the East coast myself, I didn't hear about them till a couple of decades ago (took that long I guess 'coz Canada is big, maybe??!!). We all know that Nanaimo is in B.C. but when I heard Nanaimo "Bars", I laughed. It sounded so nifty. I didn't see pictures of them till a few years after that but now you can get them here in Ontario if you hunt around a bit! <g> They were fine.

I'm determined to make my own now. I wasn't minding the cost so much; it was my shock this week!

I never read the labelling past "Raw ___ Bar" only to read as I was walking out the store! Cdn$3.99 and the thing said 90% RAW. 90%??!!! I'm not paying $3.99 for 90% raw.

I marched right back in to exchange it for one like I usu. get thinking that I was right to go back to my regular brand.

I stopped in my tracks after hitting the streets ... you guessed it! _Not_ 100% raw, either!

THESE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAVE RAW IN THE TITLE.

In that case, everything cooked can be called raw because I'm sure not 100% of ingredients are cooked, just 99.9% of them!

Grrr, I was so mad. And I've been buying these for months. So, Natural Hygiene taught me well but I've relaxed a bit in last 10 years. But Natural Hygiene has it right. If it's in a bag or a bottle or other packaging and it looks processed in any way, it's highly suspect.

So, no more bought bars for me!

I also figured that I can now put my mind to figuring out how to handle making a large quantity each week. I'm sure these types of things freeze well.

What has always stopped me is the process involved. But after the Raw Bar Fiasco this week, I figured I could take 3 or 4 different kinds of nuts and soak them independently of each other and then process each with my homogenizing juicer into a dough or paste and then mix and match from there making several batches of different flavours. I figure that if I buy a bunch of nut/seeds on a Friday (usu. my pay day each week) and soak overnight, on Saturday morning I can prepare the bars and hopefully make enough for 2 weeks. I just need 1 a day. <g>

So I'm here on the boards looking for recipes.

I've got the first one from here. Thanks! :oD