Cherry Almond Nanaimo Bars - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Bottom Layer
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, beaten
1 cup coconut
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup chopped almonds
Filling
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons cherry juice
1 tablespoon almond extract
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherry
Top Layer
1/2 semi-sweet chocolate baking square
1 tablespoon butter

Preparation

Bottom Layer: Cook butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and beaten egg in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in coconut, graham crumbs and almonds. Pat firmly into 9 x 13 pan. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Filling: Cream butter, cherry juice and almond extract. Gradually beat in icing sugar to make a smooth spreading consistency. Stir in cherries. Spread over the first layer in the pan. Chill until firm.
Top Layer: Heat chocolate and butter, stirring constantly until smoothly melted. Drizzle chocolate over filling. Chill.