Maraschino Cherry Bars
½
¼
½
½
Grease an 8″ × 8″ pan. In a small bowl, stir together the egg substitute and vanilla extract. Set aside.
For the bottom layer: Melt 1 stick of the butter in a metal bowl placed over a saucepan filled halfway with barely simmering water. (You can also melt the butter in the top half of a double boiler.) Stir in the cocoa powder and granulated sugar. Remove from the heat. Stir in the egg substitute and vanilla extract mixture.
Stir in the chopped walnuts, coconut, and graham cracker crumbs, mixing thoroughly. Press into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly. Refrigerate until the next layer is completed.
For the middle layer: Use a wooden spoon to cream the instant vanilla pudding into 1 stick of the butter. Gradually add the maraschino cherry juice while creaming in the powdered sugar. Stir in the chopped cherries. Add the red food coloring for a darker pink color, if desired. Spread the icing evenly over the lower layer. Freeze for at least 2 hours.
For the top layer: Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the white and dark chocolate in a metal bowl placed over a saucepan filled halfway with barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly. When the chocolate is just beginning to solidify, use a plastic spatula to spread it evenly over the middle layer. Return to the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours. Cut into bars and serve.
Yields 20 bars
Vanilla pudding makes a handy substitute for custard powder in this variation on traditional Nanaimo Bars.

