Cherry Almond Nanaimo Bars

BASE
1/2 c Butter

1/4 c Sugar

1/3 c Cocoa

1 ts Vanilla

1 Egg; beaten

1 c Coconut, desiccated

1 3/4 c Graham wafer crumbs

1/2 c Almonds; chopped

--FILLING

-- 1/4 c Butter; softened

1 tb Cherry juice

2 c Icing sugar

1/3 c Maraschino cherries; chopped

TOP
2 oz Semisweet chocolate

1 tb Butter

BASE: Cook butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla & egg in saucepan over low heat heat, stirring constantly until custard begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in coconut, crumbs and almonds. Pat firmly into a greased 9 pan inch square pan. Chill for 1 hour. FILLING: Cream butter, cherry juice and extract. Gradually beat in icing sugar to a make a smooth spreading consistency. Stir in cherries. Spread over base and chill until firm. TOP: Heat chocolate and butter, stirring until smoothly melted. Drizzle chocolate over filling. Chill. Cut into bars. YIELD: 30 BARS