These cook quickly, I would recommend that you try the first batch at 9 minutes and see how hot your oven is and then adjust accordingly. You want them to be cracked on top and lightly browned on the bottom.

Also, I find that the smaller you make these the better they are. I enjoy making them big enough for one or two bites. Adjust the spices to taste. I like really snappy, gingery cookies and usually put 1.5-2 tsp ginger in my cookies.

My grandmother used to add rum to the bottom layer.
Beware any nanaimo bar recipes that suggest using vanilla pudding mix in the middle layer. That’s so wrong it makes me want to cry.

Try cutting the squares when the top chocolate layer is firm but not hardened completely – this will prevent the top from cracking when you try to cut it.

On the tiny artists’ island of Burano near Venice, I was served a first course of shrimp risotto that simply beguiled me. As soon as I returned home I set about re-creating this achingly fresh dish. Many pounds of rice later, I hit upon a recipe that I believe comes close to the original. Until I return to A Romano, it’ll do just nicely. – by David Leite

Variation: fold 8 ounces of fresh raspberries into the batter right at the end, and have raspberry brownies.

Large recipe, can be halved.