an ottawa baker just created the ultimate nanaimo bar cookie
the self-taught baker in new edinburgh has combined two classic treats into one irresistible creation.
2 minute read
christine garand at her new edinburgh business, union street kitchen café.
tony caldwell
/
postmedia
union street kitchen café
42 crichton st., onunionstreet.ca
nanaimo bar-stuffed chocolate chip cookie at union street kitchen in ottawa.
tony caldwell
/
postmedia
hours: monday 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., tuesday to friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., saturday and sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
prices: most cookies $3.10
access: steps to front door, no dining in
christine garand started studying bakery and pastry arts at algonquin college in january this year. but i’m thinking that she might be able to teach her instructors a few things.
while the 58-year-old former communications professional is a self-taught baker, she has owned and operated union street kitchen café in new edinburgh for almost nine years. and although she says she doesn’t use recipes, she recently developed a cookie that i can’t stop thinking about. wouldn’t you be a little bit obsessed too with a nanaimo bar-stuffed chocolate cookie?
“it was a happy little accident,” garand says. after a batch of nanaimo bars came out too flat because they had been prepared in the wrong pan, garand saw a nearby stash of chocolate chip cookie dough and was inspired to mash up those two iconic baked goods.
“i thought, ‘wait a minute. these two could be happily married.’”
a tray of nanaimo bar-stuffed chocolate chip cookies at union street kitchen café in new edinburgh.
tony caldwell
/
postmedia
when staffers tried it, “everybody’s eyeballs popped out of their heads,” garand says.
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i get it. while you might think that this treat is just sweet upon sweet upon sweet, it’s not so simple. somehow, garand has balanced the biscoff cookie base, shredded unsweetened coconut, belgian dark chocolate ganache and almonds of her nanaimo bar with her chocolate chip cookie’s primal goodness so that all of the components register in their respective glory.
garand attributes some of her successes to her all-natural, cook-from-scratch philosophy that applies to all of her sweet and savoury creations. “i don’t cut corners. no artificial stuff,” she says.
at an algonquin baking class, she was surprised to see recipes involving shortening. “how do you do it?” she asks.
a spread of sweet and savoury items on sale at union street kitchen / cafe / local store in new edinburgh.
tony caldwell
/
postmedia
with respect to her cookie, garand might really be on to something. if you google “nanaimo bar-stuffed chocolate chip cookie,” all you get are references to the instagram post that prompted me to visit union street, and facebook post by union street.
so, if one day, like cronuts or croffles or other hybrid baked goods, nanaimo bar-stuffed chocolate chip cookies have a full-on viral moment, you can trace it all back to a self-taught baker’s cute-as-a-button little shop in new edinburgh.
do you have a favourite place to get a little treat in ottawa? send peter hum an e-mail to share your picks.
other treats of the week:
supreme croissant at hugo cafe
smoked salmon croissant at choux atelier
apple cider doughnut at red door provisions
maritozzi at roberto pizza romana
sin-namon churro cookie at toro eats & treats
hazelnut paris-brest at elina patisserie
lobster tails at pasticceria gelateria italiana
kouign-amann at la maison du kouign-amann
hot chocolate at amandine patisserie
petrali and susumelle at dolce sapori italian bakery & cafe
brûléed ice cream sandwiches at moo shu ice cream & kitchen
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