Chocolate Mint Dream Bars

Ingredients

Crust
• 1 15.25 package Mint Oreo cookies, divided
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1-lb. package Andes Mints, chopped, divided
Peppermint Layer
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 5 - 7 drops green food coloring
Pudding Layer
• 1 3.9-ounce box chocolate fudge pudding
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 8-ounce container Cool Whip or 1 recipe of my Stabilized Whipped Cream
• Hershey’s chocolate bar shavings

Instructions

1. Prepare an 8 X 8-inch baking ban by lining it with parchment so that the edges come up on the sides, enabling you to easily remove the bars from the pan to slice before serving.
Crust
2. Place 24 Mint Oreos into a food processor and pulse to finely ground into crumbs.
3. In a medium microwavable bowl, melt butter for 20 - 30 seconds.
4. Pour the cookie crumbs into the butter and mix well.
5. Place the crumbs into the prepared baking pan and pat down firmly, spreading to all of the edges.
6. Put the pan into the freezer to set for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Peppermint Cream Cheese
7. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft.
8. Add the confectioners’ sugar, peppermint extract and 5 drops of green food coloring.
9. Beat until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.
10. If desired, add more green food coloring until desired hue is reached.
11. Fold in one cup of Cool Whip until well mixed.
Pudding
12. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chocolate fudge pudding and milk.
13. Place into refrigerator to set.
Assembly
14. Chop 30 of the Andes Mints and evenly distribute them on top of the crust.
15. Place dollops of the peppermint cream cheese on top of the chopped mints and gently spread to the edges of the pan.
16. Place dollops of pudding on top of the cream cheese and gently spread.
17. Evenly (spread) the remaining Cool Whip over the pudding.
18. Place pan into the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours.
19. A half hour before serving, place pan into freezer. This will allow it to be sliced easily.
20. Chop the remaining Andes Mints.
21. Make chocolate curls by making thin slices along the side of the Hershey bar.
22. When ready to serve, lift bars out of the pan by the parchment.
23. Sprinkle the chopped Andes Mints and chocolate curls on top.
24. Peel the parchment away from the sides and slice with a large knife. I find it easiest to slice them when the knife has been placed under some warm running water and then dried.