I love a good Rocky Road. I love the heftiness and endless versatility. Though, unsurprisingly, I have views on what makes a good one! Ratios matter. So here’s my Rocky Road recipe. It’s easy. And it’s oh-so-good.
Rocky Road opinions
Rocky Road is about as simple as candy recipes get. Melt chocolate. Stir in add-ins of choice. Marshmallows, raspberries and peanuts are classic. Coconut is my must-have extra.
In other countries around the world (I’m in Australia, BTW!), cookies and dried fruit are common. And I’ve seen glacé cherries instead of raspberries.
No judgement. Rocky Road is a recipe to make your own!
The only firm view I have is to make sure there is enough add-ins. Rocky Road has heft to it, it’s not a thin, wimpy piece of candy. It’s a thick slab. Nobody wants to bite into an enormous block of plain chocolate. We want to sink our teeth into a delightful medley of textures – soft marshmallow, chewy raspberry, nutty crunch of peanuts.
So don’t skimp on add-ins!!
What you need for Rocky Road
Here’s what you need to make my Rocky Road.
Chocolate – EASY OPTION
Use chips or melts for an easy option. Upgrade to block chocolate for premium. I use a combination of dark and milk chocolate to get the best of both worlds: chocolate flavour intensity plus creaminess of milk chocolate!
Chocolate melts and chips are the easy option because there’s no chopping involved and they are made for easy melting. Equal amounts of both dark (US: semi-sweet) and milk chocolate is my favourite. You get the best of each type of chocolate: good chocolate flavour from the dark chocolate plus the creaminess of milk chocolate.
But feel free to use the combination you want!
PREMIUM CHOCOLATE
If you want to upgrade, for example, if you’re gifting or making to impress, use block chocolate instead. Lindt is my premium pick before moving into couverture (higher grade chocolate used by fine patisseries, chocolatiers etc), for flavour, quality and also it’s shiny because it’s tempered.
Plaistowe is probably the “best” in the baking aisle followed by Cadbury. And a couple of good US brands: Ghirardelli and Baker’s brand.
As with the chips, I will typically use a combination of dark and milk chocolate though if using Lindt, I usually stick with just one type. For the sake of purity! 70% for grown ups, milk chocolate for all-rounder crowd pleaser.
If using chocolate block, you’ll need to chop it up before melting. The finer you chop, the easier it melts.
Note: Lindt is not cheap and you need 5 blocks. I stock up when they are steeply discounted. It happens every now and then!
⚠️ Eating vs cooking chocolate
Whatever chocolate you choose, it is safest to source the chocolate from the baking aisle which is made for melting and cooking. Some chocolate from the confectionary aisle (ie for eating) is actually made to prevent it melting easily if, say, it’s sitting in a warm pantry, your car or handbag.. So they will not necessarily melt smoothly. They are also more prone to problems like seizing and burning if you use the microwave rather than a bain-marie (bowl over simmering water).
It’s not the end of the world for Rocky Road because we re-set the chocolate anyway, but it’d be highly risky to use in things like Chocolate Mousse. So if you know of eating chocolate brands that melt perfectly / you’ve nailed the art of melting Cadbury Milk Chocolate blocks, feel free to use it! But just be aware that chocolate from the baking aisle is safer for use in cooking!
The only exception is Lindt. This can be sourced from the chocolate confectionary aisle. It melts 100% perfectly. And did you know Lindt is already tempered so it’s natural shiny? Lindt is special! 🙂
rocky road add-ins
And for the add-ins! Here’s what goes in mine. Classic Aussie Rocky Road – marshmallows, chewy raspberries and peanuts. Plus coconut. Reminiscent of retro Golden Rough (chocolate coconut candy here in Australia). Coconut isn’t always present in Rocky Road, but for me it’s a must!
How to make Rocky Road
Hot contender for the world’s easiest candy recipe!
Melt chocolate in 30 second bursts, stirring in between.
Stir until smooth. (Hot tip – use a chopstick during the initial stirring phases. Easier – and less surface area for chocolate to stick to. Switch to rubber spatula towards the end).
Stir through add-ins.
Spread in a 20cm/8″ paper lined square pan.
Refrigerate for 3 hours (or overnight, or days!) until fully firm.
Cut – Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cutting into pieces. I cut into 5 bars, then into smaller pieces if serving to eat, and larger pieces if gifting.
Tell me your Gold Standard Rocky Road!
Thinking back, I’m pretty sure that the vast majority of the time I make Rocky Road is for gifting. Which is not surprising. Rocky Road is a sizeable piece of candy. There’s no such thing as a small nibble. Even breaking off a “small” hunk is a decent mouthful! Unlike, for example, my current favourite small-form candy to have around the house which allows me to take a small guilt-free nibble when the craving hits. (Never mind that I go back to the jar 10 times a day).
What about you? Is Rocky Road a gifting recipe? For parties? Or are you a committed candy monster who will make this for yourself?
But more importantly – SHARE YOUR GOLD STANDARD ROCKY ROAD add-ins!! I bet you make a killer Rocky Road! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Rocky Road
Ingredients
Chocolate (read Note 1!):
- 225 – 250g / 8 oz dark chocolate melts or chips (1 1/2 cups) or block, chopped (US: semi-sweet chips)
- 225 – 250g / 8 oz milk chocolate melts or chips (1 1/2 cups) or block, chopped (or more dark choc)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or any plain flavoured oil (prevents cracking, adds bit of sheen, Note 2)
Nagi’s Rocky Road Add-ins (Note 3):
- 3 cups marshmallows, pink and white , most cut in half (firmly pack the cups!)
- 3/4 cup raspberry lollies , halved
- 1/3 cup desiccated coconut (or flakes), unsweetened
- 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts , very roughly chopped (ie almost just halved)
Instructions
- Line a 20cm/8" square pan with baking paper (parchment paper).
- Melt chocolate – Place chocolate and oil in a bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
- Add-ins – Stir the Add-ins into the chocolate. Pour into pan, spreading out evenly.
- Refrigerate for 3 hours or until fully cool.
- Cut – Remove from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cutting. I cut into 5 lines, then into chunks for eating or larger pieces for gifting!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Back to the vet for another check up with ongoing tummy issues. 😢 Clearly he’s gotten into something he shouldn’t have – again! It’s been over a week now, so I’m a little worried so I took him to the vet again. He’s had various blood tests and all have come back clear.
Here he is, wondering if the bandage is edible (the bandage was for the blood test patch).
For now he’s on a strict gastro-intestinal dog food diet. No treats, no taste testing, not even a drizzle of canned fish juices to make the dry food more interesting.
He’s so unimpressed with this new diet! Hopefully it won’t be for too long and he’ll bounce back to his normal self.
I make Rocky Road for Christmas and have always used Copha to stop the chocolate being too hard. Chrystallized cherries are a must as is chopped chrystallized ginger. I find the granulated nuts a cheap and easy addition.
Copha would work perfectly too! And I LOVE the idea of using crystallised ginger. Especially leading up to Christmas! N x
Hopefully Dozer us back on track soon, Heather’s comment may be one investigation to make.
Thanks for caring Ailsa! I did think of that, I wonder if I need to look more carefully 🙁 N xx
I love rocky road, haven’t made it ages. The recipe I got years and years ago the nuts were hazelnuts and add ins were glace cherries or Turkish delight, and of coyrse dedicated coconut, and marshmallows …but no oil, I have seen copha as an add in on other recipies(cherry slice & mint slice from the ’80s from a friend to help make the chocolate easier to slice) I shall add oil when I make this next time. It’s easy to make, great for an office hand around, and makes a lovely gift. Thanks for that extra wee tip
I LOVE the idea of a cherry slice version!!! YUM!
Well it’s an old recipie from a friend’s granny’s recipe book
Base
Melt 1/2pound margarine or butter with 1tablespoon cocoa. Cool and add 1/2cup Icing sugar, 1cup plain flour. Press into greased slice pan. Bake mod oven 10mins…
Centre
1/2 cup chopped cherries (I use glace but it could be fresh , never tried fresh myself )
1tin condensed milk
11/2cups desicated coconut
Pink colouring
Place in oven until set(not for too long ) now this is written as exact from friends granny 😄
Topping
2oz melted copha
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons Icing sugar
Spread toping over cherry mix and leave to set.
So I guess this one was all copha, but back in the day grannies would maybe consider choc as exotic and my friend said it cut easier than chocolate
I liked this but added more Icing sugar-these days I wouldnt😃
Not quite as easy as rocky road but a good one to have in the,arsenal also it freezes very well.
I’d love to see how you would approach this recipe and improve it. Sorry about the oz’s it’s how it’s written. I got this recipe in about ’82 my goodness 40yrs ago now…I am old😀
Just a thought about Dozer, you have not long moved into a new house, with I presume a new garden, Have you checked to see if any of the plant could be toxic for dogs or if the previous owner may have used something on the garden.
Hi Heather! I have worried about that too, there was blood & bone in the garden when I first moved in but it’s been months now. 🙁 I watch him in the garden and the only plants he nibbles at is grass, as he has always done. Thanks for caring!! N xx
Leaving a comment on the lemon cheesecake from ‘Dinner’
OMG so lemony and rich, absolutely divine and delicious! My lemon curd turned out so lemony my lemon loving family loved it! My 9yo keeps asking for me to make it again. My only con is that one serve is not enough, I will have to triple the recipe next time 😋
I LOVE HEARING THAT!! Isn’t the lemon curd stunning??? I’m so glad your son loves it so much!! N xx
Sorry about doggy. I make my own version of rocky road. I wickedly put in salted peanuts, for a real zing,plain biscuits smashed up and soaked in lime juice,tany apricots chopped up and prunes chopped. Also add coconut of course. I add olivani and olive oil to my chocolate as it melts. Gives a decadent but delicious finish. Any nuts of fruit will work I find. Yummy.
I thought about salted peanuts!! And I LOVE the idea of the lime soaking. GENIUS! N x
Hi Nagi thanks for reply.I meant tangy apricots,and any dried fruit. You probably guessed this.
Excellent recipe and and thanks so much for the chocolate recommendations. I totally agree with your choices and appreciate your mentioning them.
Thanks!! I don’t think I’ve ever been so specific with chocolate ratings 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi. When you say raspberries do you mean actual fresh raspberries? Would hazelnuts work too?
YIKES! Lollies 🙂 And YES to hazelnuts! Nice upgrade, actually 😂
I LOVE ROCKY ROAD!!!!!!
This recipe makes me happy! However, I tend to be a purist when it comes to Rocky Road….chocolate, ALMONDS…roasted & not salted..(not peanuts) & marshmallows.
I know other add ins are possible…but for this is the gold standard of Rocky Road!
Ha ha I Love that you have a gold standard of Rocky Road!!! This one is MY gold standard. 🙂 N xx
Have the vets tried giving him pro-kolin? (vet nurse here)
I was going to come to comment the same. I have a young border collie that has a dodgy tummy every few months. I have cooked bowls full of rice, poached chicken and supplemented with pro-kolin to where I keep it on hand all the time.
HOW DID YOU KNOW!! 🙂 I got some yesterday. First time he’s been on it. And he’s on gastrointestinal dry food. I mixed wet and dry gastro food last night and this morning was a mess 😝 So he’s back on just the dry!! Thank you for your advice! – N xx
Hi Nagi, Absolutely agree about the ratios. Yours is a classic flavour combination. Sometimes to mix it up l replace the raspberries with chopped banana lollies and at Christmas do the licorice, salted pretzels and pfeffernuesse version. So moreish!!
PRETZELS! Genius. I’m stealing that one!!! N xx
Hi Nagi, your rocky road looks great. I have been making one almost exactly the same for years. My son can’t eat nuts so I use either broken up pretzels or Chang’s fried noodles for the crunch. If I cannot get raspberries I sub with red frog lollies instead. Always a winner.
Chang’s! That’s genius. I feel like I need to start a list of reader suggestions for Rocky Road add ins!! PS RED FROGS. Also genius! N x
Oh Dozer. I just love reading all about him. Every email warms my soul. And your recipes Nagi too 😊😊
Love that you love reading about him! I love sharing stories about him. 🙂 N xx
I add pistachios and chopped (proper) turkish delight pieces to mine in place of the peanuts and rasberries. Always a winner.
OH MY!!! Now THAT is a Rocky Road!! N xx
🌹💕
Poor Dozer
Get well soon
Beautiful Boy
How have I lived without this cheesecake for nearly 80 years? I have never made lemon butter till now but it takes the cheesecake from 100% delicious to 150. Thank you Nagi. Xx
I make a big batch of Rocky Road (and another of chocolate ‘bark’) every Christmas and have it in Christmas bags for gifts for neighbours, friends etc. My add-ins include coconut, pistachios, marshmallows, sometimes glace cherries, dried apricots, or craisins but ALWAYS Turkish delight – it’s essential!
Will definitely make this, but replace the peanuts with almonds, personal preference.
Oh poor Dozer
Please look after Dozer, he’s an old boy now. I recently had a dog diagnosed with EPI – I can control with the correct diet and medication. Our dogs are so very special.
I made this cheesecake for a BBQ we were invited to. Everyone LOVED it including one person that said she normally didn’t like cheesecake. We wanted to take home the leftovers, our hosts wanted to keep them. I won’t say who won out. What a winner !!