Decadent Nanaimo Bars

by Sandy Savage
2 cups sifted icing sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup mix of finely chopped red and green candied cherries (optional)
2 Tbsp finely chopped VE Crystallized Ginger (optional)
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 Tbsp vanilla custard powder
4 (1oz/28g) squares semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup VE Cocoa Powder
1 tsp VE Vanilla
1 cup finely shredded coconut
3 Tbsp milk

1. Lightly grease 9” square pan.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter. Turn into bowl.
3. Mix together sugar and cocoa then add to butter. Cool to room temperature.
4. Whisk egg and vanilla together then add to cocoa mixture. Stir in wafer crumbs, coconut, walnuts and cherries. Press into the greased pan.
5. Mix together 1/2 cup butter, milk, custard powder and icing sugar in a small bowl. Stir until creamy. Spread over base. Place in freezer for about 15 minutes to hardened slightly.
6. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler or in a bowl in a microwave oven. Spread ligthly over cooled custard. Refrigerate for about 1 hour until chocolate is firm.
7. Glaze: stir together 1/2 cup icing sugar and 2 tsp water. Drizzle over top. Cut into bars. Store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator.