Decadent Chocolate Mousse Bars

I made these for a company bake-off and won first prize. This is time consuming, but is one of the most fabulous chocolate desserts I have ever made! It can be made with or without the ganache topping, but I strongly suggest that you make it totally awesome by adding the ganche! Don't eat too many -- they are rich!

• Ready In: 4 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1 1⁄2 cups  milk chocolate chips
• 1  cup peanut butter, creamy
• 5  cups  corn flakes, crushed lightly

• Mousse

• 3⁄4 cup butter
• 2 3⁄4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cocoa powder
• 5  ounces  semisweet chocolate (I used Baker's 1 oz. squares)
• 4  egg yolks (pasteurized if available)
• 2  cups heavy cream

• Ganache

• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 2 1⁄2 cups  semisweet chocolate

Directions

1. To make crust:
2. Line a 9 x 13" cake pan with parchment paper.
3. Melt milk chocolate in a double boiler.
4. Stir peanut butter into melted chocolate. Place crushed corn flakes in a bowl and stir chocolate/peanut butter mixture over them, mixing well.
5. Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and cool in refrigerator.
6. To make Mousse:
7. Melt semisweet chocolate in a double boiler. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle, beating until light and fluffy.
8. Add sifted cocoa powder and mix well. Scrape down bowl and add chocolate.
9. Continue mixing and add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
10. Fold in heavy cream that has been beaten to firm peak.
11. Mix well to incorporate, leaving no white streaks in the chocolate.
12. Spread mousse over crust.
13. Chill about 2 hours, until set. Cut into desired size bars with a sharp knife dipped in hot water. (1 x 4-1/2 " cuts will yield about 2 dozen bars).
14. Place bars on a cooling rack that has been placed over a clean baking sheet. (Bars may be completed at this time or coated with ganache).
15. If bars are soft, place rack in freezer until ganache is ready.
16. To make ganache:
17. Melt chocolate in double boiler.
18. Mix sugar and heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring mixture to a slow boil over low heat(be careful not to scorch the cream).
19. Pour cream over chocolate and stir with a whisk to incorporate, making sure all the chocolate is melted.
20. Strain mixture to remove any pieces of unmelted chocolate.
21. Let cool for about 1 hour.
22. Pour ganache over firm bars to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm ganache.
23. The bars should be stored in the refrigerator.