Chocolate Banana Bread Bars with a Creamy Chocolate Frosting



Ingredients:

Bars:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3/4 cup mashed very ripe bananas

Frosting:
3 1/2 ounces milk chocolate
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

milk or dark chocolate squares (optional)
grated chocolate bar with hazelnut (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/2 cup butter and egg until soft dough forms. Reserve 1 cup of the dough. To the remaining dough, add mashed banana and walnuts; mix well. Spread in bottom of pan.
In medium microwaveable bowl, microwave 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter on High about 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Add reserved cookie dough; stir until well blended. Drop chocolate dough by spoonfuls evenly over top of banana mixture; spread gently to almost cover. Swirl chocolate mixture into banana mixture with knife for marbled design.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

Put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, about 1 to 2 minutes more.)

Frost bars and allow to set for 2 hours before cutting into squares. Sprinkle grated chocolate over bars and place chocolate squares on each bar for garnish. Makes 9 -3x3 "squares.