Midnight Mint Bars - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Filling
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
green food coloring, optional
Topping
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter

Preparation

In a heavy saucepan, heat the butter, cocoa and sugar over low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring often.
Remove from the heat.
Stir in a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to pan.
Cook and stir until mixture coats a metal spoon and reaches 160.
Remove from heat.
Stir in cracker crumbs, coconut and walnuts.
Press into a buttered 9 inch square pan; set aside.
For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat butter, confectioners sugar, milk and extract until smooth.
Tint with food coloring if desired.
Spread evenly over bottom layer; set aside.
For topping, in a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat until blended and smooth, stirring often.
Remove from heat.
Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
Spread over filling.
Cover and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Cut into bars.
Store in the refrigerator.