Chocolate Mint Bars

After a trip to the grocery store at the end of last week, I finally have all the ingredients to make this next treat.  I have been looking forward to it ever since I saw it on Pinterest.  These Chocolate Mint Bars looked so good, I could hardly wait.  Be sure to read her story before you start, because she changed the recipe a little and you might like it better that way.  I followed the recipe, with a few little tweaks that I will explain as we go.

Here are the ingredients:

Bottom Chocolate Layer

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup flour, optional

Middle Mint Frosting

• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp cream
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• green food coloring, optional

Top chocolate layer

• 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

Bottom Chocolate Layer:

1. In a bowl, beat the eggs.
2. Add the melted butter and sugar.
3. Mix in the peppermint and melted chocolate.
4. Stir in the flour if you want a brownie layer (omit for a denser chocolate layer)
5. Pour the chocolate batter into a greased 9-inch pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.  If you do the flour-less version, check after 15 minutes.  Don't over bake them because they will set as they cool.
7. Cool at least 30 minutes.

Here are my notes on this layer:  I decided to go with the flour, to see how it would turn out.  I don't have a 9in pan, so I used a glass 9x11 Pyrex casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Middle Mint Frosting:

1. Blend all the ingredients well.
2. If desired, stir in several drops of green food coloring.
3. Spread the mint frosting on the cooled baked chocolate layer.
4. Place in the refrigerator to chill for five minutes.

Notes:  Since I used a bigger pan, I decided to double the ingredients for this layer to make sure there would be enough filling.  I mixed with a hand mixer and found that it was very dry.  I ended up added about an extra tablespoon of cream (I just poured some in until it was creamy enough).  

Top Chocolate Layer:

1. Mix the melted chocolate and butter well.
2. Once the middle mint frosting is firm, spread the butter-chocolate mixture over the top. 
3. Place in the refrigerator to chill for five minutes.
4. Cut the chocolate mint bars into strips or squares, as desired.
5. Store the chocolate in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Notes:  Again, since my pan was bigger I doubled the amount of chocolate to 4 squares.  I did not double the butter and only used the two tablespoons.  I have made other desserts with chocolate toppings and a one to one ratio of butter to chocolate seemed like a lot to me.  I placed the chocolate and the butter together in the microwave and melted it there.  Stirred till smooth and poured it over the frosting layer.  You have to be careful when you spread it because it melts the frosting a little as you go.  But I think it covered pretty well.  I did have to refrigerate it longer than five minutes for it to be firm.

Now for the taste.  These bars are delicious.  She describes it like an Andes mint, and I think it tastes similar as well.  I liked the brownie-like layer on the bottom, but I might have to try it without flour as well.  They are very minty.  One change I might make next time would be to use semi-sweet chocolate on top.  The unsweetened chocolate has kind of an after taste with the mint, but I think that is just my personal preference.  Everyone that tasted them as is, thought they were great.