Rocky Road Recipe

This rocky road recipe mixes melted chocolate with marshmallows, roasted peanuts, glacé cherries, Turkish delight and coconut. It sets in the fridge and slices into neat, glossy pieces.

There’s no baking and no tempering. You need a saucepan, a big bowl and a lined slice tin, and about 15 minutes of hands-on time.

Rocky road is a favourite for Christmas gifts, school stalls and party tables because it keeps well and travels well. The small splash of oil in the chocolate is what stops it shattering when you cut it.

Build your rocky road

Every rocky road recipe is really a mix of six parts. Keep the classic picks, or swap in what you have.

If the mix looks dry after folding, melt another 50 to 100 g of chocolate and stir it through. Every piece should be coated.

Rocky road is often linked to Australia’s gold rush days, though nobody knows its exact start. You can read more about the history of rocky road here.

Choosing the chocolate

• Milk chocolate: classic and very sweet. Pair it with salted nuts and tart fruit.
• Dark chocolate (45 to 60%): less sweet, so the mix-ins stand out more.
• White chocolate: creamy and sweet. Add cranberries or freeze-dried berries to lift it.
• Marble: melt milk and dark separately, spoon them in turns, then swirl lightly.

Use eating chocolate rather than compound cooking chocolate if you can. It tastes better and sets with a nicer shine.

Rocky Road Recipe (Classic Aussie Mix-Ins)

Recipe by Ella McKenzie

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

15 min (plus 60–90 min chilling)

15

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

A classic Aussie rocky road with marshmallows, roasted peanuts, glacé cherries, Turkish delight and coconut, set in glossy chocolate that slices cleanly. No tempering needed.

Ingredients

• 600 g good-quality chocolate (I use 300 g milk + 300 g dark), chopped

• 2–3 tsp neutral oil (sunflower or canola)

• 250 g marshmallows (pink & white), snipped into thirds

• 1½ cups roasted salted peanuts (or roasted almonds/macadamias)

• ½ cup glacé cherries, halved (or dried cranberries)

• 1 cup Turkish delight, cut into 1–2 cm cubes (optional but classic)

• 1 cup crispy add-ins (crushed shortbread, puffed rice or pretzels)

• ½ cup shredded or desiccated coconut

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch fine sea salt

Directions

• Line the tin: Grease and line a 20 × 30 cm slice tin with baking paper, leaving overhang on the long sides.
• Melt the chocolate: Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Stir gently until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in oil, vanilla and salt.
• Combine mix-ins: In a very large bowl, add marshmallows, nuts, cherries, Turkish delight, crispy add-ins and coconut.
• Fold together: Pour about ⅔ of the melted chocolate over the bowl and fold to coat. Add remaining chocolate and fold again until everything is evenly covered.
• Pack & level: Scrape mixture into the lined tin. Press down firmly with a spatula to remove pockets, smoothing the surface.
• Chill: Refrigerate 60–90 minutes until just set. Avoid over-chilling which can make the chocolate brittle.
• Slice & serve: Lift out using the paper. Warm a long knife under hot water, wipe dry, and slice into 24–36 pieces. Keep in an airtight container in a cool place.

Notes

• Chocolate choice: for a less sweet block, use all dark chocolate (50 to 55%). For white chocolate, add a little more salt and some tart cranberries.
• Nut free: replace the nuts with puffed rice and crushed gluten free biscuits, plus a few extra marshmallows.
• Dairy free: use dairy free chocolate and marshmallows, and coconut oil instead of neutral oil.
• Gift boxes: drizzle the top with a contrasting chocolate for a neat finish.
• Room temperature set: in a cool room it sets in 3 to 4 hours and gives the most even finish.

Rocky road recipe troubleshooting

• Chocolate seized and grainy: a drop of water got in. Whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons of neutral oil or hot milk to bring it back.
• White streaks on top: that’s bloom from temperature changes. It’s safe to eat. Dry your bowls well and keep it away from the coldest part of the fridge.
• Crumbly slices: too many dry mix-ins for the chocolate. Add a little more melted chocolate or chop the mix-ins smaller.
• Too hard to cut: it was chilled too long. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and use a warm knife.
• Too sweet: use darker chocolate, salted nuts and tart fruit like cranberries.

Three mixes to try

• Christmas: white chocolate, pistachios, cranberries and mini marshmallows. Red and green without any food colouring.
• Macadamia and raspberry: dark chocolate, macadamias, freeze-dried raspberries, marshmallows and coconut.
• Salty pretzel: milk chocolate with salted pretzels and shortbread crumbs for a sweet and salty bite.

Gifting and fundraiser checklist

• Cut into 5 cm squares and sit each one in a patty case.
• Pack in tins or boxes lined with baking paper.
• Add a label listing the ingredients, especially nuts and gelatine in the marshmallows.
• For nut-free school events, use the nut-free swap in the recipe notes.
• On hot days, keep boxes chilled or packed with an ice pack. Dark chocolate versions handle heat best.
• For a bigger batch, double the recipe and use two tins.

Make ahead and storage

Rocky road keeps for 2 to 3 weeks in an airtight container in a cool pantry. In hot weather, keep it in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving.

To freeze, wrap pieces in baking paper and store in a zip bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then let them sit at room temperature for the best texture.

Frequently asked questions

This rocky road recipe is easy to make your own. Start with good chocolate, coat every piece well, and don’t over-chill it, and you’ll get glossy, even squares every time.

Have fun,
Ella x