Crème de Menthe Squares

This is my mom's recipe. These are delicious chocolate and mint bars that serve a lot of people (if you cut them small). We usually only make them as Christmas cookies, but they're my absolute favorite so I'm going to make them for my wedding dessert bar. You can make these and freeze them until you're ready to eat them (just let them warm up first!) 

Need:

• 1 and a half sticks of butter or margarine (3/4 cup)
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/3 cup green crème de menthe (a liquor, once you buy one bottle you'll be set to make this recipe a lot of times)
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• Chocolate Chips (small package or about 1½ cups)

medium saucepan

food processor to make graham cracker crumbs (or buy graham cracker pie crusts and break them up)

9x13 pan

Bottom Layer

First, crush the graham crackers in the food processor. It takes two packages of crackers from a regular sized box.

In saucepan, combine:

½ cup butter or margarine (note: don't try to use less! the layer won't hold together without the full amouunt)

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Heat and stir until well blended.  Remove from heat;
add ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 beaten egg, and 1 tsp. vanilla.
Stir in 2 cups graham cracker crumbs. 
Mix well and press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13” pan.
Put it in the fridge to set up while you make the second layer (this makes spreading the next layer much easier).

Middle Layer *Note: DON'T EVER DOUBLE THIS PART (I tried once, it actually tasted like alcohol, yuck, the other layers can be doubled, but you have to make separate batches of this layer)

Melt another ¼ cup of the butter. 
In small mixer bowl, combine melted butter and 1/3 cup green crème de menthe.
On low speed, beat in 3 cups powdered sugar until smooth. 
Spread over first layer (should spread like frosting – may be a little runny). 
Chill 1 hour.

Top Layer

Melt chocolate chips in microwave. A regular sized package from the grocery store works, or if you have a Costco sized bag like me, use about 1½ cups.
Spread evenly over mint layer. 
Chill one to two hours and cut into squares. You may have to let the top layer warm back to room temperature before you can cut into it. (Note: I've found that leaving the bars out, or putting them somewhere cooler than normal room temp but not as cold as a fridge (like the garage) helps them to set in a way that lets you cut them so much easier after they've hardened. Then once you've got them cut and taken out of the pan into a cookie tin you can refrigerate them!)

The final product!