Chocolate Mud Bars Recipe

When I was growing up, and had yet to develop my chocolate tooth, a giant chocolate bunny always managed to find its way into my Easter basket even though the Easter bunny knew very well that I did not like chocolate. And guess who in the house coincidentally always got to eat said giant chocolate hare? Dear old Dad! 

The ‘Mud’ is a moist, rich chocolate filling which is studded with walnuts and surrounded on one edge by a graham cracker crust and on the others by a slightly crunchier chocolate shell. Use quality chocolate and I guarantee this will be the best “mud” you’ve ever eaten (and will become a favorite of any chocolate lover you know!).

Semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Mixing the smooth chocolate with the dry ingredients

The crust and the chocolate – a match made in heaven

Release the mud!

Finished bars! They really were the tastiest “mud” I ever did eat.

Chocolate Mud Bars

From the Everyday Baking Cookbook, page 54

CRUST:

1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

¼ cup cake flour

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.

For crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well with your hands. Add the melted butter, stir well with a fork, then rub the ingredients together well with your fingers until thoroughly mixed. Press the mixture evenly in the prepared pan to form a level layer on the bottom with a lip extending about ¼ inch up the sides of the pan. (Do not prebake the crust).

For filling: Combine the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over not-quite-simmering water. When melted, whisk to smooth, then remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the chocolate into a medium bowl and cool to lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 325^oF. Whisk the sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the lukewarm chocolate. Stir in the cake flour, mixing until smooth. Stir in the walnuts. Scrape the batter over the crust and smooth with a spoon. Bake on the center oven rack for 35 minutes only – no longer. Cool on a rack. Refrigerate an hour or so before slicing. Serve at room temperature. Makes 16 bars.