Ghirardelli Mississippi Mud Bars

I can't even remember the last time I bought a Ghirardelli White Chocolate baking bar or what I used it for, but I saved the wrapper because it had a recipe I wanted to try out: Ghirardelli Mississippi Mud Bars (which I conveniently found a link to on someone else's blog).  Now that I am in the throes of getting rid of all my baking supplies, I decided I finally needed to try these bars.  We were going to a Valentine's dessert potluck and we needed some dessert!  It's not too often I try new dessert recipes since I can't eat them to make sure they taste okay, but that's what my husband and friends are for, I guess.  My husband had one and said they were good.  We took them to the potluck and people who ate them enjoyed them and my husband took the rest to work and people there said they were really good.  Survey says it's a keeper!

The base of the bar is just a chocolate chip cookie dough except it has white and semi-sweet chocolate and walnuts inside.  It is a little stickier than cookie dough but is the same basic cookie recipe.  

After baking.  I wish I had baked it an eensy weensy bit longer because it seemed a little mushy in the middle.  Nobody complained about it being raw though so maybe I was imagining things or maybe people really do like raw cookie dough!  

As directed, the rest of the chocolate goes on top of the hot cookie crust to melt (similar to making butter toffee).  Then you swirl and marble the white and semi-sweet melted chocolate together which was a little difficult.  This was my first time swirling so hopefully it will only get prettier.  Then dump the walnuts on top.  I didn't need to use an entire cup of walnut pieces but that's okay-I just put the excess back in the bag.    

This is how I presented them.  In an effort to get rid of my myriad cupcake holders I individualized each piece.  The recipe says this 9 x 9 pan makes 10-12 servings...well, I got 36 servings and everyone was happy!  I knew since it was a dessert potluck I should make the bars small so that's what I did.  I had a great time trying a new recipe.  They smelled delicious.