The only bars I made this Christmas were ones I created the year before and have become my all-time favorites. So much so that I went out on Dec. 26 to pick up discounted candy canes, so that I could make 2 more batches before next winter. I suppose that starlight mints would suffice, but they crunch up in bigger pieces than I like.The mini candy canes can turn into powder quickly. Regular-sized candy canes are the best. These bars also require another limited-edition item found only around Christmas time: Hershey's Mint Chocolate Chips - a whole 10 oz. bag per batch of bars. This recipe requires a 9 x 13 inch metal baking pan to make 48 bars.
Chocolate Mint Marshmallow Bars
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. chocolate extract
1 pkg. (10 oz.) Hershey's semi-sweet Mint Chocolate Chips
2 1/3 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup crushed regular candy canes
1. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan w/ foil and spray with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the first 5 ingredients together and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then beat in the eggs and extracts. Mix until incorporated. If this wet mixture looks a bit curdled, don't worry.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients until fully combined and a sticky dough forms. Using your hands, press about 2/3 of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. You may need to dampen your fingers before pressing the dough into the pan.
5. Sprinkle the marshmallows and chocolate chips over the dough. Follow with the crushed candy cane pieces. Then pull off clumps of the remaining dough and scatter them over the bits, leving some areas uncovered so that some of the lightly toasted marshmallows will peek out of the dough when the bars have finished baking. Press the dough down lightly onto the bits so it will stick to the middle layer.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the marshmallows are lightly toasted and the dough begins to brown a little near the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack before cutting into bars.
A photo of the finished bars is forthcoming...
