Dating back to 1953, the Nanaimo bar is a Canadian dessert that is named after the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia (on Canada’s west coast). This treat, which doesn’t actually require any baking, has three layers: a wafer, coconut crumb, and nut base on the bottom, a layer of custard icing in the middle, and a top layer of chocolate ganache. There are many variations of the basic recipe with different types of crumb, icing, and chocolate. For example, some people prefer a layer of peanut butter icing in the middle! The good news is that you don’t have to visit Nanaimo to try Nanaimo bars. They are widely available at bakeries, at bake sales and farmers’ markets, and in grandmas’ kitchens across Canada. One word of caution, though - depending on the recipe, some of them can be very sweet! Try a Nanaimo bar with a cup of coffee or tea during your next trip to Canada!