Good Dee's Dairy Free Nanaimo Bars

Are you dairy free? We haven't forgotten you. This recipe is sure to get you back in the kitchen. This recipe may seem extensive but the end product is so so worth it.

Let's get started!

Good Dee's Dairy-free Nanaimo Bars

Servings: 16

Calories per Serving: 203kcal

Preparation:

Tools: one medium mixing bowl, two small bowls, small skillet or sauté pan, 8x8

baking dish, one sheet of parchment paper, medium metal bowl, whisk, small

saucepan. Base needs to cool completely before topping with the prepared custard, which also needs to cool after making so allow at least two hours.

Ingredients for base:

1 package Good Dee’s brownie mix

1 egg

113g ghee or coconut oil, melted (can use butter if not dairy-free)

40g almond flour

28g walnuts or almonds, crushed

20g granulated sweetener - golden variety is recommended

15g unsweetened coconut shreds/flakes

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients for dairy-free custard (Maria Emmerich’s recipe):

6 egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 c unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp granulated sweetener

56g ghee or coconut oil, melted (can use butter if not dairy-free)

Ingredients for chocolate topping:

4oz sugar-free chocolate of choice, roughly chopped

7g ghee or coconut oil (can use butter if not dairy-free)

Instructions for the base:

1. Preheat oven to 325f/160c

2. Line baking dish with parchment - allow some overhang so the bars can be removed easily before slicing. Trick for parchment: either cut to size of pan or crumple several times to make it more flexible and stay in the pan well as you fill

3. Put almond flour and granulated sweetener in skillet/sauté pan and toast lightly over low-medium heat until golden brown; add in cinnamon while still warm and mix well (this component is optional but is meant to emulate the graham cracker crumbs in the traditional version)

4. Put brownie mix into a medium bowl and mix with a spoon

5. Add in egg and ghee, then mix well

6. Stir in nuts, coconut, and slightly cooled almond flour mixture; stir to combine

7. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and smooth top

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until just set on the edges - center may still jiggle

9. Allow base to cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate for at lease one hour

Instructions for custard:

1. Prepare Maria Emmerich’s dairy-free custard that can be found on the Diet Doctor website

2. Mind it closely as preparing; if custard curdles from being overheated remove from heat immediately and use immersion blender or whisk vigorously

3. Allow to cool at room temperature, and stir or whisk before using

Instructions for the chocolate topping:

1. Add chocolate and butter to a small bowl

2. Either melt in a double-boiler or microwave in 5-10 second bursts, stirring in between - carryover heat will help the chocolate melt so don’t overdo it in the microwave

Instructions for assembling the bars:

1. Once the base has been refrigerated and is cool to the touch, pour custard over it and smooth with the back of a spoon or a butter knife; this layer should be very even

2. Pour melted but slightly cooled chocolate over and smooth in the same way as the custard with a clean utensil

3. Allow the chocolate layer to harden slightly at room temperature, and use a butter knife to score the chocolate layer into the desired sizes you’d like the bars - this will ensure that the chocolate will slice more easily after cooling instead of breaking

4. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then remove the bars from the baking dish and use a large knife to slice along the scores in the chocolate; for clean layers, wipe the knife after each cut. The bars can be stored at room temperature for two or three days but would be better refrigerated for up to a week. They freeze and thaw well and can be stored in the freezer for several months.

Enjoy!

Meg

Instagram @baconand_megs