BARS - GHIRARDELLI CREAMY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER

By akselden

Chill 30 minutes after baking.

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 2 C. graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 C. Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa
• 1/2 C. butter, melted
• 2 T. sugar
• Topping:
• 16 oz. cream cheese
• 1 C. sugar
• 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
• 3 T. flour
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 C. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 bar (2 oz.) GHIRARDELLI Milk Chocolate Baking Bar, broken into 1" pieces
• 1/2 tsp. vegetable shortening

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

For crust:
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, ground chocolate, butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Press the mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 9X13 baking pan.

3. Bake 8 minutes, and then transfer to wire rack to cool.

For topping:
4. In large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, peanut butter, and flour until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Blend in the milk and the vanilla extract.

5. Pour the topping into the crust and bake 40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on wire rack.

6. Melt the chocolate pieces and vegetable shortening in a double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water.
Stir occasionally until smooth. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the cooled bars.

7. Chill approximately 10 minutes, just until the chocolate layer is partially set. Score the chocolate layer with a sharp knife, forming squares, and return the pan to the refrigerator.

8. Chill 30 minutes, or until firm. Cut through the bars and serve. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator.