Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Bars

Ah Rice Krispy Treats...a pastime childhood favorite for pretty much everybody I'd venture to say.  I remember making Rice Krispy Treats with my Mom when I was younger.  I used to lick the marshmallow off the spoon, all coated in sticky sugar and butter...yum. Well my favorite 'Baked' boys came up with a delectable adult version of the Rice Krispy Treat.  They start with a layer of Rice Krispy, stuck together with a type of simple syrup rather than marshmallow, however; I imagine you could use marshmallow in place of the syrup and it would still taste amazing.  The Krispy layer is topped with a layer of peanut butter chocolate mixture and then topped off with a layer of dark chocolate...UM, can you say heaven? I can.  This treat is amazing but very very rich...a little goes a long way so make sure not to cut the slices too big.

rice krispy layer.
1 3/4 cups Rice Krispys
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

chocolate peanut butter layer.
5 oz good-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips)
1 cup creamy peanut butter

chocolate topping.
3 oz dark chocolate (60-72% cacao), coarsely chopped (I used Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips)
1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1. Lightly spray a the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Measure cereal into a large bowl and set aside.
3. Pour 1/4 cup water into a small saucepan.  Add the sugar and corn syrup and use and mix until combined. 
4. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (235 degrees F).
5. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, and pour the mixture over the cereal. 
6. Stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour into prepared pan
7. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan using your hands. *My hands didn't seem to do so well at this, the mixture kept sticking to my fingers. So I coated the back of a large stirring spoon with some cooking spray and pressed the mixture using that. It worked so much better.  Do not press up the sides.     
8. Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer. 
9. For the chocolate peanut butter mixture: Stir together the chocolate and the peanut butter in a large nonreactive metal bowl.
10. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth.
11. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for about 30 seconds to cool slightly.  Pour the mixture over the cooled Krispy mixture. Let chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until the top layer hardens (I don' t think it took that long, but I can't remember exactly how long it took; a lot of help I am huh?).
12.  Make the chocolate topping: In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter (yum).
13. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth.  Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly.
14. Pour the mixture over the chilled milk chocolate peanut butter layer and spread into an even layer.
15. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until the topping hardens.
16. Cut into 9 squares.  The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 4 days.