Holiday Everything Bars

Yield: 25 servings

Ingredients

Bars

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (8 ounces) Cello® Rich and Creamy Mascarpone cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups pretzel twists
• 1 cup red and green M&M's

Toppings

• 8 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Bars

1. Cream butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until well blended.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl; gradually add to butter mixture.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Spread two-thirds of the dough into the prepared baking dish.
6. Whisk the mascarpone, egg and confectioners' sugar in a small bowl; spread over dough. Dot with spoonfuls of the remaining dough over top. Press pretzels into dough.
7. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until center is set and a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Do not overbake.)
8. Immediately, lightly press M&M's into top.
9. Cool completely.

Toppings

1. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
2. Drizzle bar with chocolate.
3. Sprinkle with candy cane pieces.
4. Allow chocolate to set before cutting into bars.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin