Gluten Free Nanaimo Bars

Some holiday traditions should really be done all year round. The Nanaimo bar is always around the house at the holidays. Normally made with graham cracker crumbs, I had to make a change this year and there's no difference whatsoever. Other than no tummy ache!!


From Wiki: "The Nanaimo bar is a dessert of Canadian origin popular across North America. A type of chocolate no-bake square, it is named after the West-Coast city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. It consists of a wafer crumb-based layer, topped by a layer of light vanilla or custard flavoured butter icing, which is covered in chocolate made from melted chocolate squares.[1] Many varieties are possible by using different types of crumb, flavours of icing (e.g. mint, peanut butter), and types of chocolate. Two popular variations on the traditional Nanaimo bar involve mint flavoured icing or mocha flavoured icing."


I used Josef's graham crackers:


They worked fantastic but are slightly difficult to find. Kinnikinnick Graham Crumbs are becoming more widely available though.
Since my Sugar Cookies turned out so well last time, I think I might bake a few a little bit more and then crush them. I'm sure I will find a place for the rest of the cookies that are made. The first batch didn't last long at all!




Nanaimo Bars


Base

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
4 Tbsp cocoa
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans


Custard

1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp vanilla custard powder or pudding powder
2 cups sifted icing sugar
Add peppermint extract to taste and green food colouring to tint to your preference

Topping

4 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 tsp butter


For base:
Mix 1/2 cup butter, white sugar, egg and cocoa in top of double boiler and set over boiling water. Stir until mixture resembles a custard. Combine crumbs and nuts and mix into cocoa mixture. Spread and press tightly into a 9x9 pan. Chill while preparing custard.

For custard:
Cream 1/4 butter, milk, custard powder and icing sugar, peppermint and food colouring together and spread over mixture in pan. Chill while preparing topping.

Topping:
Melt chocolate over hot water and add butter and blend well. Spread over custard filling. Let set and chill.*
If you like, when the chocolate has set slightly you can score the chocolate so that it won't break when it's firmly set.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Gluten Free Cinnamon Bun Cake

Remember when Cinnabon first appeared in malls? The smell overtook the nearby area and you just had to buy some to take home. You know, back when your hips and butt were a whole lot smaller?

Well anyways, Cinnamon buns have always been a Christmas tradition at my house. Used to just go with the easy Pillsbury Pop-open packs and then last year I made my own using a recipe I found on the celiac forums. They were quite good and I thought about making them again but then somewhere in my constant browsing of food sites, I saw it.


CINNAMON BUN CAKE

I planned on making it and just converting it to Gluten Free but I could not find the same page again.

So I made my own.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Bun Cake

How easy does that look? It's quick,it's convenient, it's easy. No kneading or rolling, just scooping and smoothing.

Cinnamon Bun Cake


Cake

• 1/2 c. butter ( melted will make the batter easier to spread but softened is also fine)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. gluten free flour ( I use 2 parts brown/white rice, 2/3 part potato starch, 1/3 part tapioca)
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Mix

• 1/4 c.brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Icing

• 1.5 - 3 ounces of a package cream cheese, softened ( I prefer 1.5-2 myself for less cream cheese taste)
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract ( I use clear vanilla extract)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Grease 9 x 9 inch pan or line with parchment paper

Mix well butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add eggs. Mix in flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together. Spoon 1/2 of the batter in the pan and spread batter over pan and sprinkle with 1/2 of the Cinnamon Mix. Top with remaining batter and cinnamon mix.  Bake 350°F. for 30-35minutes or until cake tests done.

 

For icing, using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt together until icing is smooth and fluffy, approx 5 minutes.

 

Pour icing over warm cake and let sit to cool.

** If you are making this with regular flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour and omit xanthan gum**

I used my Peach Cake recipe for the base cake mix.

 

First layer of batter and cinnamon

2nd layer

Looks perfect to me!

You're covering it in cinnamon and icing anyway so it doesn't have to be beautiful

Fresh out of the oven

How do I not own a square 9 x9 pan anymore?

Every bite has cinnamon and icing

Hello there....