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Nanaimo bars are an addictively Canadian holiday treat, and their beauty is that they’re an open canvas to so many variations—especially with balsamic vinegar on tap! There’s a traditional version in Laurie Sadowski's The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Cakes and Cookies, but she's shared this amped up variation for us to add to our cookie tray this year, too.

Recipe By Laurie Sadowski


FOR THE CRUST:

  • 2/3 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup Della Terra Black Cherry Dark Balsamic
  • 1-1/2 c unsweetened fine shredded coconut
  • 1/3 cup coarse ground buckwheat groats
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING:

 FOR THE TOPPING:

  • 3/4 c non-dairy semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 1/2 tbsp Della Terra Black Cherry Dark Balsamic, reserved from crust
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Put the raisins in a small bowl. Cover with the Della Terra Black Cherry Dark Balsamic. Let sit for 1 hour. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with wax paper with extra on the sides as an overhang for easy removal.

  2. After the hour, drain the raisins into another bowl, reserving the Black Cherry Dark Balsamic for the topping. Put the coconut, buckwheat, cocoa powder, flaxseeds, and salt in a food processor. Process for about 30 seconds just to combine. Add the drained raisins and vanilla extract. Process until the mixture begins to clump together and is sticky, about 90 seconds. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down into the bottom of it evenly to create a crust. Transfer to the pan to the freezer while preparing the filling.

  3. To make the filling, put the Della Terra Coconut White Balsamic Vinegar and the coconut oil in a stand mixer or a large bowl. Using the stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat until smooth. Add 1 cup of the icing sugar and the coconut flour. Beat until smooth. Add the remaining icing sugar, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating on medium high speed until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and thick. Remove the pan from the freezer and spread the filling onto the crust in an even layer. Return the pan to the freezer while making the topping.

  4. To make the topping, fill a small saucepan with about 1-inch of water. Put a glass bowl on the top of the saucepan, making sure it doesn’t touch the water, to create a seal to trap the steam underneath. Put the chocolate chips and the reserved dark balsamic vinegar in the bowl. Heat until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth, whisking to combine. Remove from heat. Remove the pan from the freezer and spread the topping onto the filling in an even layer. Freeze or refrigerate until the topping has set before slicing and serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer or refrigerator.

Makes 25 servings