Only 5 minutes are required to make this best ever rocky road (no baking required). Wrap these up to give away as gifts or serve as a special treat for dessert.
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Fun Rocky Road Fact:
Unlike chocolate lamingtons, Australians get all the credit for this seriously addictive treat. Apparently it was created in Australia in 1853 as a way to sell confectionery that was spoiled by the long trip to Europe. Nuts and cheap chocolate were added to disguise the spoiled confectionery. Pretty ingenious if you ask me, though also very cheeky.
Thankfully rocky road has come a long way since then and this recipe is pretty spectacular if I do say so myself. Cutting into it is the best part - each piece is uniquely different, showcasing an array of different ‘jewels’. It’s a pretty sight indeed and they are nearly too pretty to eat, nearly.
Another name used for rocky road is refrigerator cake, which makes sense as the fridge does most of the work for you!
Make as a gift
Although I love to have rocky road in the fridge to snack on, I usually only make it when I want an edible gift for a friend. I love giving homemade gifts and rocky road is particularly great as it only takes 5 minutes to prepare.
I usually wrap it in cellophane and tie it with a ribbon and gift tag - so easy, but so pretty and people seem to love receiving it.
Ingredients
A great thing about this recipe is that it is so customisable - if you don't have a particular ingredient shown below, you can easily substitute for something else that you have on hand (scroll down below for substitution ideas):
Dark chocolate - Provides a rich, deep chocolate flavour and helps the bars set firmly.
Milk chocolate - Adds creaminess and a touch of sweetness to balance the dark chocolate.
Butter - Gives the rocky road a smooth, melt-in-the-mouth texture and helps bind everything together.
Golden syrup - Adds chewiness and a subtle caramel flavour while helping to keep the mixture glossy and soft.
Biscuits - Add crunch and structure. You can choose any of your favourite biscuit but I find these ones work particularly well: digestive, ginger biscuits, amaretti and shortbread
Marshmallows - Bring that classic rocky road chew and lightness, creating pockets of sweetness throughout. Pascall brand is my favourite for this recipe but feel free to use your favourite (I just wouldn't recommend using mini as I love biting into a big piece of marshmallow best).
Desiccated or shredded coconut - Great for texture and holding everything together
How To Make This Rocky Road:
Prepare the Tin:
- Line a square 8-inch cake tin with tin foil, ensuring it overlaps the edges for easy removal later. Alternatively, have a tin foil tray ready for use.
Melt the Chocolate and Butter:
- In a medium-sized pan, gently melt the dark and milk chocolate together with the butter and golden syrup over low heat. Stir occasionally to ensure even melting.
Crush the Biscuits:
- Place your biscuits into a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Aim for a mix of big and small pieces to give your rocky road a good texture.
Combine the Ingredients:
- Once the chocolate mixture has melted, remove the pan from the heat. Add the crushed biscuits, marshmallows, and shredded coconut (along with any other optional add-ins). Gently stir everything together to ensure the dry ingredients are coated with the chocolate mixture.
Transfer to the Tin:
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared tin or tray. Use a spatula or spoon to smooth out the top, though it won’t be perfectly smooth due to the texture.
Chill the Rocky Road:
- Place the tin in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until the rocky road has set enough to be easily cut into pieces.
Serve:
- Once firm, lift the rocky road out of the tin using the tin foil and cut it into wedges or bite-sized squares.
Finishing Touch (Optional):
- Dust the top of the rocky road with icing sugar using a fine sieve for a light, sweet finish.
How To Cut Rocky Road
In order to get clean, perfect edges when cutting your rocky road:
- Let it Set Completely:
- Make sure your rocky road has chilled in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours until it’s firm. The firmer it is, the easier it will be to get clean cuts.
- Use a Warm Knife:
- Before cutting, heat your knife by running it under hot water for a few seconds. Dry it thoroughly and then slice through the rocky road. The warm knife will glide through the dessert, preventing it from sticking or squashing the edges.
- Cut in One Motion:
- Instead of sawing back and forth, try to cut in one clean motion. This reduces the chance of disturbing the layers and creates neater edges.
- Chill the Knife Between Cuts:
- If you need to make multiple cuts, wipe the knife clean and heat it again between cuts for the best results.
- Use a Sharp Knife:
- Ensure you use a sharp knife for clean, smooth cuts. A blunt knife may cause the edges to tear.
Substitutions
Here are some substitutions you can try to customize your rocky road recipe:
1. Chocolate:
- Milk Chocolate: You can replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate or white chocolate for a different flavor profile.
- Vegan Chocolate: If you're looking for a dairy-free option, try using vegan chocolate or dairy-free chocolate chips.
2. Biscuits:
- Digestive Biscuits: Swap digestive biscuits for graham crackers, shortbread biscuits, or even ginger biscuits for a bit of spice.
- Gluten-Free Biscuits: Use gluten-free biscuits or rice crackers for a gluten-free version.
3. Marshmallows:
- Vegan Marshmallows: For a vegan version, replace marshmallows with vegan marshmallows.
- Dried Fruit: Substitute marshmallows with dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dried apricots for a fruity twist.
4. Coconut:
- Shredded Coconut: If you don’t like coconut, you can leave it out or replace it with chopped nuts (like almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts) for added crunch.
5. Golden Syrup:
- Honey: Swap golden syrup with honey, agave or maple syrup for a different sweetness.
6. Add-ins:
- Nuts: Add hazelnuts, walnuts, or pecans for extra texture.
- Sweets: You can add chopped sweets like M&Ms or chopped chocolate bars to the mix (extra decadent)!
- Cherries: Add maraschino cherries or dried cherries for a fruity twist.
7. Topping:
- Icing Sugar: Instead of dusting with icing sugar, you could also top your rocky road with chopped nuts, sprinkles, extra melted chocolate or dusted cocoa powder.
Feel free to get creative with what you have on hand or what you prefer!
Have you tried my easy white chocolate rocky road?? It's so yummy and fun.
Storage
At room temperature: Store rocky road in an airtight container for for 3 days (out of direct sunlight)
In the Fridge: For longer storage, place in airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Refrigeration helps keep the bars firm and fresh
Freezer: You can freeze rocky road! Wrap the rocky road in plastic wrap or place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To serve, simply let it thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cutting.
To keep your rocky road firm, it’s important to refrigerate it for at least 1-2 hours until set. If your rocky road is too soft, make sure you’re using enough chocolate to bind the ingredients together and refrigerate for a bit longer.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Best Ever Rocky Road
Ingredients
- 50 g dark chocolate
- 85 g milk chocolate
- 100 g butter
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 125 g (half 250g packet) biscuits (e.g. digestive, ginger biscuits, amaretti, shortbread, etc.)
- 70 g (1 cup) marshmallows, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons dedicated or shredded coconut
Instructions
- Line a square 8 inch cake tin with tin foil or have a tin foil tray ready for use.
- Using a medium sized pan, melt both milk and dark chocolate with the butter and syrup over a gentle heat.
- Put the biscuits into a bag crush them with a rolling pin to get big and little-sized pieces.
- Take the pan off the heat, and add the crushed biscuits, marshmallows and coconut (and anything else you may like to add). Turn carefully to coat everything with the chocolate mixture.
- Tip into prepared tin/tray, smoothing the top as best you can, although it will look bumpy.
- Refrigerate until firm enough to cut (about 1–2 hours). Then take the set block of rocky road out of the tin, ready to cut into wedges or bite sized pieces.
- Dust the top of the rocky road with icing sugar using a sieve.
