Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars
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Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars. A new recipe with a twist on the classic Canadian treat, the Nanaimo bar. Here the sweet centre gets infused with tangy orange flavour.
Originally published November 24, 2011.
2020 update - following the success of my attempts to improve on traditional Nanaimo Bars, I decided to apply the same approach to this favourite recipe. The new recipe includes a thicker base and incorporates some custard powder into the orange filling.
All of my cookie testers loved that addition. I think it gives an almost orange sherbet-like flavour to the rich filling centre.
For those of you who want to stick to the original recipe which has been so popular here, simply use the ingredient list in the Notes section of the recipe.
Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars, a delectable new version!
Okay, so maybe I'm a sucker for anything chocolate orange but I don't know how I didn't think of this idea before... shocked actually!
I'm thinking it's because I don't make Nanaimo Bars very often. I don't make them very often because they are one treat I cannot resist.
With many of the treats I make, I am content to sample one or two and pass the rest on to family and friends but Nanaimo bars would never make it out of the house. They are the best thing to ever come out of that beautiful British Columbia town.
I've sampled many different versions of this classic Canadian favourite sweet, including mint, mocha, Irish cream, even peanut butter but I have never seen a chocolate orange version.
When Spouse and I were talking about which cookie recipes we could add to our growing on-line collection, she mentioned that I hadn't included Nanaimo bars. As always, my mind goes to, "How can I put a little twist on that?"
Almost immediately the chocolate orange idea came straight to mind.With just a little orange juice concentrate and the finely minced zest of a single orange, these amazing no-bake bars are transformed into something new and spectacular.
You MUST try these... and no, none of these left the house. We all fought over the last crumbs.
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Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars
Chocolate Orange Nanaimo Bars - a new recipe with a twist on the classic Canadian treat, the Nanaimo bar. Here the sweet center gets infused with tangy orange flavor.
Ingredients
For the Base Layer
- ¾ cup butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 8 tablespoon cocoa
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¾ cup unsweetened coconut, fine or medium
- ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped
For the the Orange Frosting Filling
- ¾ cup butter
- 3 tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
- zest of one small orange, finely minced
- 3 cups icing sugar, i.e., powdered sugar or confectioners sugar
- ¼ cup custard powder
- 1 tablespoon milk, or enough to get it to a very thick but spreadable consistency
For the Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
To Prepare the Base Layer
- In a small saucepan, melt together the butter, sugar and cocoa over low heat.
- Add the beaten egg and continue to cook, stirring constantly to fully cook the egg with the mixture resembling a soft scrambled egg texture.
- Add the graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts.
- Mix together until well combined then, press into the bottom of a parchment paper lined 9×9 inch baking pan.
To Prepare the Orange Frosting Filling
- With an electric mixer, beat together the butter, orange juice concentrate, zest, icing sugar custard powder and milk until smooth.
- This frosting should be very stiff but spreadable. If you think it’s too thick, you may add a few drops of milk at a time to bring it to the right consistency. If it is too soft, add a little more icing sugar.
- Spread evenly over the bottom layer. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before adding the chocolate topping.
TO Prepare the Chocolate Topping
- Melt together over low heat, just until the chocolate is melted, don’t over heat it.
- Spread quickly over the chilled frosted layer. Return to the fridge until the chocolate sets.
- Cut into squares or bars. These freeze very well.
Notes
Here is the ingredient list for the base and filling of the original version of this recipe as written in 2011.
For the Base Layer
½ cup butter
¼ cup sugar
5 tablespoon cocoa
one beaten egg
1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup fine or medium unsweetened coconut
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
For the the Orange Frosting Filling
½ cup butter
2 cups icing sugar i.e., powdered sugar or confectioners sugar
Zest of one orange finely minced
2 tablespoons frozen Orange juice concentrate
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Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 332Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 50mgSodium 146mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 2gSugar 33gProtein 3g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
oh my goodness but this just makes sense! I love Nanaimo Bars and orange and chocolate. I've experimented with a lot of flavours but never orange. Will try it this year!
I saw this picture,of these delicious looking Nanaimo Bars on Facebook,and came right here!Surely want to try these,noting down/bookmarking the recipe!
P.S. Thank you for sharing.:-)
I love this orange/chocolate idea! I wonder if the cream filling could stay same as original recipe, but add orange zest to the base layer. And, perhaps add orange flavouring to the chocolate icing top layer. Would that work?
Why not the centre?
These sound amazing. But one question. What is custard powder? That is new to me.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
Google the Brand in the post.
Thank you thank you thank you! Chocolate and orange has been my favourite flavour combo since I was introduced to Black Magic chocolates a hundred or so years ago. They had that orange filled triangle one that was my first pick! Now this!!? Orange Nanaimo Bars, you complete me. Haha jks, cannot wait to try these out!
Sounds so yummybut live in New Zealans and wonder if custard powder means the same as what you use. Here it it a vanilla flavoured Cornflour that needs boiling to set or is very floury to the taste.
Same.
I've made these with cherry filling, using a good quality cherry extract and also chopping up well drained and paper-towel dried Maraschino cherries. The finished product is like eating Maraschino Cherry chocolates!! I've also made the mint filling .... very good as well! Coconut is also amazing ... using a good quality coconut extract with chopped coconut (sweetened shredded coconut) ..... mmmmmm good!! 😉 I've yet to try Maple Walnut .... using Maple Flavor and finely chopped walnuts.
Ohhhh! Like the maraschino cherry idea!
The Maraschino ones will disappear fast! I like your idea for the orange ones. I must try them too!
I hope this is not a silly question but, what is "custard powder"?
Google the brand in the post. There should be a working link too.
Is there a suitable substite for the frozen orange juice concentrate? I never buy that stuff! Thanks! This recipe looks delicious!
Just regular orange juice will do. Most of the orange flavour comes from the zest anyway.
Fantastic, thanks!
Oh no . I forgot to add the custard powder to the filling. What will become of these already delicious cookies. Are they a write off!!
Mistakes happen. They will taste fine but perhaps the frosting centre will be softer.
I am always on the look out for different recipes to try, Nanaimo bars are not traditional here in Australia so I thought I would give them a try. Instant hit!!! Led me to try your orange Nanaimo bars which I entered in our local fair and won first prize! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. I look forward to trying many more. 🙂
Congrats! ...to us!! LOL!
I made these bars and are very tasty, however I had an issue with the base, Followed the recipe to a T, but it is crumbly and does not stay together when cut. Is it possible I did not press down the base hard enough??
Should they be kept refrigerated?
The original version lists mint extract -- is that a typo?
Oops, yes it is a copy and paste error from the mint version. Fixed now.
Hi Barry,
We love your recipes. We cannot get oj concentrate here in Bangkok. Do you think I could use orange juice in another volume instead?
Thank you,
Jane
Hi! Barry..... we don’t have frozen orange juice in Mexico ...so I was going to boil some Orange juice to reduce it and when it’s cooled add two tablespoons of that and one tablespoon of Triple Sec (Orange Brandy)...I made the Irish Cream ones last Christmas...and they were a hit.......Hopefully these will be too!!