cookbook_challenge | Cappuccino nanaimo bars

I've never made nanaimo bars (though I love eating them). When this recipe floated across my tumblr dash a few months ago, I decided I wanted to give it a go eventually: Cappuccino Nanaimo Bars via Rock Recipes.

Ingredients

Bottom Layer
3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
8 tbsp cocoa
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (Oreo crumbs work well)
3/4 cup fine or medium unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans) toasted

Middle Layer (filling)
3 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp instant cappuccino powder
2/3 cup butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
4 tbsp milk or whipping cream (approximately)

Top Layer (chocolate)
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter

Instructions

To prepare the Base Layer
Melt together the butter, sugar and cocoa over low heat.
Add the eggs continue to cook, stirring constantly to fully cook the egg to a soft scrambled texture.
Add the chocolate cookie crumbs, coconut and walnuts.
Mix together until well combined, then press into the bottom of a parchment paper lined 9x9 inch baking pan.

To prepare Filling
First sift together the icing sugar and cappuccino powder.
With an electric mixer, beat together the butter, and icing sugar and cappuccino powder until it just starts to come together.
Add just enough milk, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the icing is thick and smooth.
This frosting should be very stiff but spreadable. (Much thicker than you would use to frost a cake for example) 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.
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 the chocolate chips and butter 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.

If using a 9x13 pan: adjust top layer to use 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 3 tbsp butter instead.
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I made it in a 9x13 using the author's suggested adjustment, because I wanted something that wouldn't be as thick as a standard bar. That worked out well. Definitely would do that again.

Not sold on the cappuccino-flavoured filling; it sounded delicious, but alas, wasn't quite as nice as my dreams. Probably will make it plain vanilla next time. But at least my curiosity is satisfied now. ;)