Ok, so there are actually 14 days until Christmas, but whose counting?!
In my last post I shared my recipe for Fruit Mince Tarts so, sticking with the Christmas spirit, this time around I'm bringing you a super delicious recipe for seasonal Rocky Road.
What makes it 'seasonal' you ask? Well swap your traditional crushed biscuits for gingerbread, trade those dried fruits for glace cherries and add a smack of brazil nuts and you have yourself a delicious slab of chocolate-coated Christmas spirit!
This recipe is actually based on this one from the ever-fabulous Nigella Lawson, with a few small changes. I don't think she will mind though... look at that smile!
Christmas Rocky Road
Makes about 16 pieces (depending on how greedy your slices are cut!)
250g dark chocolate
250g milk chocolate
175g butter
1/2 cup golden syrup
150g Brazil nuts, roughly chopped
150g red glace cherries
125g mini marshmallows
200g crushed gingerbread
For The Gingerbread
65g butter
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
*Note: this gingerbread is quite spicy because you still want the full flavour effect when its broken into small chunks and mixed with the other slice ingredients but you can adjust it as you see fit. It also makes more than is required for this recipe but that just means you have a delicious snack to munch on while the slice is setting!*
To Make the Gingerbread:
Place the butter, golden syrup and brown sugar in a saucepan and melt over a low/medium heat, constantly stirring, until totally melted and combined. Set the mix aside for 30min to cool.
Place the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to combine them. Stir the egg yolk into the butter mixture and then add it all to the dry mix.
Stir everything together until it forms a soft dough and use your hands to roll it into balls (about three-times the size of a golf ball) and flatten onto a baking tray lined with non-stick paper, leaving a 3cm gap between each disk.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
For the Rocky Road:
Line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.
Place the chocolates, butter and golden syrup in a heatproof mixing bowl and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring each time, until the mixture in totally melted and combine.
Roughly crumble the gingerbread into small chunks and add to the chocolate mixture along with the nuts, cherries and marshmallows. Stir to combine and spoon the mix into the prepared cake tin.
Refrigerate for at least an hour or until set and firm.
Remove the slice from the tin and slice into small squares.
If you wish, decorate with a sprinkle of icing sugar and serve to your adoring friends and family, or wrap in cellophane bags to make the perfect gift!
