Festive Rocky Road

 

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without rocky road.  Thanks to my father’s obsession, rocky road has been a Christmas necessity in my family since I can remember.  And it’s usually one of the first festive delights I make to get me into the Christmas spirit.  Opening the fridge to see a platter stacked high with large shards of deep dark chocolate studded with squishy marshmallows, roasted nuts and glace ruby red cherries lets me instantly know the season of joyful overindulgence has certainly begun.  

This year’s rocky road recipe comes from the queen of fabulous overindulgence herself, the beautiful Nigella Lawson.  You won’t be surprised to hear that one of my many loves in watching the wonderful cooking programs offered up by the food channel and this year’s Nigella Christmas special featured this gorgeous and incredibly decadent rocky road recipe. 

As soon as Nigella’s deliciously naughty description of her festive rocky road was complete I knew this incredible creation had to be on my cooking list this silly season.  Nigella’s version includes wonderfully crunchy almond laced amaretti biscuits, the usual glace cherries and obligatory marshmallows as well as my all time favourite brazil nuts.

What inspired me most however was Nigella’s concoction of melted chocolate, golden syrup and butter.  Traditionally rocky road is simply melted chocolate studded with the usual goodies but Nigella being the culinary seductress she is has taken rocky road to the next level with her syrup and butter additions and the results are amazing.  Rocky road, in its original melted chocolate form can sometimes be a little errr shall we say tooth shattering, but with Nigella’s genius addition of butter and golden syrup the once rock hard rocky road now has a more smooth, buttery and luscious texture. 

And I have to say it was a sheer delight stirring the giant bowl of festive chocolate cheer in front of me, watching the marshmallows, brazil nuts, glace cherries and amaretti biscuits slowly surrender to the giant pool of chocolaty darkness.  After a teeny tiny taste test the rocky road made its way to the fridge to set before being cut into generous festive squares.  Although I have to admit I immediately regretted chopping up the giant slab of chocolate, now it was all too easy for me to sneak pieces whenever opening the fridge door and I truly wondered whether any would make its way to our Christmas lunch Saturday.  Time will tell I guess. 

Festive Rocky Road

adapted from NigellaLawson

INGREDIENTS

250 gram(s) dark chocolate, chopped

150 gram(s) milk chocolate, chopped

175 gram(s) butter (soft)

4 tablespoon(s) golden syrup

200 gram(s) amaretti biscuits

150 gram(s) brazil nuts (shelled)

150 gram(s) glace cherries (red)

125 gram(s) mini marshmallows

1 tablespoon(s) icing sugar

METHOD

Place chocolate, butter and syrup into a heavy-based pan to melt over a gentle heat.

Place the amaretti biscuits into a plastic bag and bash them with a rolling pin to get small and large crumbs.  Place the brazil nuts into a freezer bag and bash until you have small and large sized pieces.

Take the pan off the heat, and add the crushed biscuits and nuts, whole glacé cherries and mini-marshmallows.  Mix until beautifully combined.  Pour mixture into a cake pan / baking dish lined with baking paper, smooth top and refrigerate until firm.  Dust with icing sugar and cut into desired size pieces.