It doesn’t get much better than a Nanaimo Bar, unless it’s a Nanaimo Bar Bundt. This was a huge hit since it’s so delicious and also a funny thing to bundt. The perfect cake to celebrate your favourite Canadian.
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Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 8oz good 60% baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Hot Fudge Layer
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cups evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Custard
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp custard powder
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
Base
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup (50g) pecans, finely chopped
- 1 cup (85g) unsweetened finely shredded coconut
Instructions
Step 1
Start by making the chocolate ganache topping. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until hot , but not boiling. Whisk so it doesn’t burn. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and ensure the chocolate is completely submerged. Let sit for five minutes.
Step 2
Add salt and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set it aside to rest at room temperature for about 4 hours or overnight.
Step 3
Next make your hot fudge layer. This may seem a little weird, but it balances the sweetness of the custard and gives something for the base to stick to. It yields more than needed, so you have some to use for ice cream. To make the fudge layer, melt the chocolate chips, milk and powdered sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Let this boil for four minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let thicken. Add vanilla.
Step 4
Next, prep your bundt pan, I used a six-cup, small pan, by covering the inside with plastic wrap. This is to make flipping the bundt out possible.
Step 5
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, custard powder, and vanilla until combined. Mix in 1 cup of powdered sugar along with 1 tablespoon of cream at a time, mixing in between until smooth. You can add more cream if it’s too thick. Spoon the batter evenly into the bundt pan. Place in freezer for 20 minutes.
Step 6
After twenty minutes, add the cooled, thickened hot fudge sauce on top of the custard. Use a generous layer. It acts as the glue that keeps the base to the custard. Put in the freezer while you make the base.
Step 7
To make the base, melt the butter in a large boil over a pot of boiling water; like a double boiler. Whisk in the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Remove from heat and very slowly add in the egg while whisking constantly. Return to heat and cook for 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Add in the graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut, and chopped nuts. Stir until well combined. If the mixture appears dry, have faith it will come together. Firmly press the base mixture on top of the fudge layer of your bundt. Press firmly. Chill until cool.
Step 8
Invert the bundt onto a service plate. It should come out easily because of the plastic wrap. Use the chocolate ganache to spread over the bundt, being sure to leave some peak-a-boos of the custard so people know it’s a Nanaimo bar.
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