Tiramisu Nanaimo Bars with Espresso Mascarpone Cream

Method

1. Line a 20×10 cm tin with baking paper. Put the butter, sugar, most of the cocoa and half the espresso powder in a small saucepan and stir over low heat for 2 min, until melted, smooth and glossy. Don't let it boil.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter (base) 50 gGranulated sugar 20 gUnsweetened cocoa powder 14 gInstant espresso powder ½ tsp

   low heat

2. Turn off the heat and stir in the crumbs, coconut and chopped almonds until the mixture looks like damp sand. Press it firmly into the tin with the bottom of a glass and chill for 20 min. This egg-free base is held together only by butter, so it needs to be properly cold to stay firm.

   Add in this stepGraham cracker crumbs 75 gDesiccated coconut 30 gAlmonds, finely chopped 20 g

3. Dissolve the rest of the espresso powder in the hot water and let it cool. Beat the filling butter, custard powder and icing sugar with an electric mixer for 2 min, until fluffy, then add the cold mascarpone and the coffee and mix on low for just 1 min. Mascarpone splits if overbeaten, so stop as soon as it's smooth.

   Add in this stepInstant espresso powder ½ tspHot water 1 tspUnsalted butter (filling, room temperature) 40 gCustard powder 1 tbspIcing sugar 100 gMascarpone (cold) 50 g

4. Spread the filling over the base, smooth the top and chill for 30 min.

5. Set a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water (low heat) and stir the chocolate and topping butter for 2 min, until melted. Take off the heat, cool for 5 min until lukewarm, then spread it thinly over the filling.

   Add in this stepSemi-sweet chocolate, chopped 50 gUnsalted butter (topping) 12 g

   low heat

6. Chill for 20 min; as soon as the chocolate has set, dust it with the remaining cocoa through a fine sieve. Cut into 2×4 pieces (rows × columns) with a knife warmed in hot water and wiped dry.

   Add in this stepUnsweetened cocoa powder 3.6 g