Vancouver culinary students are attempting to build the world's largest Nanaimo bar
A team of ambitious baking and culinary students from Vancouver Island University (VIU) is preparing to break a record that's as sweet as it is massive.
On May 17, they'll attempt to make the world's largest Nanaimo bar, a chocolatey dessert that has long been a staple of the region's culinary identity.
The idea was born a few years ago when students in the baking diploma program brainstormed ways to foster a locally inspired business.
The project gained a competitive edge when the students learned that the current record for the world's largest Nanaimo bar wasn't held in its birthplace, but in Levack, Ont. There, in 2020, the Gorham family made a 240-kilogram, 2.4-metre-long Nanaimo bar.
"We're very proud of our Nanaimo bar here, and it kind of lit the spark that we should bring that record back to Nanaimo and do it at the university," Aron Weber, head of the baking and pastry arts programs at VIU, told As It Happens host Nil Kӧksal.
The Nanaimo bar was first conceived in Nanaimo around 1952 by three women shortly after the Second World War. It's typically made up of three layers: a crumbly base of wafer, coconut, and nuts; a custard icing middle; and a smooth chocolate ganache topping.
It was first dubbed a "Nanaimo bar" in 1953 by Vancouver Sun columnist Edith Adams, and it later gained national fame when it was featured in the Expo '86 cookbook.
To beat the current record, VIU's team plans to create a massive bar weighing in at a staggering 500 kilograms, or nearly 1,100 pounds. It will stretch over 21 metres in length — about the length of a blue whale — and measure nearly one metre wide.
How will they make it?
This is no small task, but the students have been hard at work in the days leading up, perfecting their technique and preparing for this giant undertaking.
"We've done lots of experiments and tests on how long it takes for the glaze to set up, temperature-wise, all those things are being considered," said Weber.
"It's kind of a great opportunity for students to learn all the little things you need to think about when you're trying to do something of this scale."
Over the last few days, the team of about 50 students have been assembling the base and custard layers.
Carpentry students have also been brought in to help construct the large frame, which is placed on a table to hold the dessert.
On the day of the event, they'll be "sandwiching it all together" and pour the final layer — over 200 pounds of glaze — on top to complete the Nanaimo bar, says Weber.
"We will be pouring the chocolate on it in one motion."
Local community pride
Making the giant bar is about more than just breaking a world record, says Weber.
They'll be raising funds to replace old ovens used in VIU's culinary arts and professional baking and pastry arts programs. The current ovens are nearing the end of their lifespan and need to be replaced to continue providing students with top-tier training.
The community has rallied around this event, and even creating a mascot named Nani the Nanaimo Bar to help generate excitement.
The unveiling and construction of the giant Nanaimo bar will take place at the Windsor-Plywood Trades Discovery Centre on VIU's campus. After, the massive dessert will be cut into 3,500 pieces and shared with attendees, with some saved for the local food bank.
The event will also serve as a homecoming for the four original students who first came up with the idea for the giant Nanaimo bar a few years ago.
Though they've since graduated and are now working in the industry — ranging from Scotland to Vancouver and Ladysmith — these alumni will return to see their dream come to life.
"They're all doing excellent in the industry, and we're super proud of them," said Weber. "It's their idea that got us into this, and we're thrilled they can come back and be a part of it."
Weber invites everyone to come by and sample the bar, encouraging them not to hold back.
"I do encourage people on Saturday to overindulge cause we're going to have a 70-foot-long one," he said.
"We are hoping for a good turnout."
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