Daring Bakers January: Nanaimo Bars

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

Au jour d'hui, tout en francais! Ma meilleure amie, elle s'appelle Elli, est Canadienne. De plus, aujourdhui est son anniversaire! Elle a 20 ans! J'aime les points d'exclamation! Et, pour elle, j'ai fait ses petits gouts.

J'ai fait deux types: une du citron et la vanille; l'autre de la framboise et du chocolat. Les deux bars utilisent l'homemade biscuit de farine complet (graham) epice avec la plante d'Asie (cardamom) et du sucre turbinado.

C'est pas tres dificile, mais ils sont tres riches, ainsi que on faut partager avec tes meilleurs amis canadiens aussi!

ca suffit du francais? oui...

toasting les coconuts

So, yes I still have yet to determine the phonetic pronunciation of this no-bake Canadian treat but I don't care so much as all I think about when it comes to Canada is Elli and half naked Mounties. Not together, bien sur. Les Mounties sont pour moi.

There is a sweet little bit about Nanaimo Bars on Cakespy, who has much more to say on the matter than I do.

The Nanaimo carnage...

Spiced Apple Cake

With new kitchen tools at my disposal and an empty sad looking cake platter beckoning me from the pantry I could only do one thing. Bake. While this sounds epic, it wasn't really. Just wanted to blow up your expectations there a bit. So here you are. No frills, no exclamation points, just apples, the rest of my bottle of cinnamon and loads of butter.


I sliced an apple wafer thin and dehydrated them ever so slowly in the oven to make apple chips for the top of the cake. I know am in the mood to do this to every fruit in my cupboard...it might not be a good thing. We will see.


What's more, my lovely kitten Eleanor has decided to become a chef. Yes, she told me so and has gone so far as to clean the contents of the kitchen sink to show her dedication ( even if it was with her tongue). She for some reason loves to watch you cook, clean or prepare anything in the kitchen. She helps you sprinkle flour leaving kitty paw prints on the black range. She is my taste tester for boiled noodles, although she doesn't understand the meaning of al dente quite yet. She likes all fruits and vegetables including strawberries, cucumbers and the dregs of the salad bowl. Although I've also caught her nibbling on the ends of sticks of butter...that must be her weakness.