Christmas Rocky Road: How to Make It, and What to Put In

Rocky road is the easiest Christmas gift to make: melt chocolate, stir in marshmallows and whatever else you like, set it, and slice. It needs no oven and no skill, and it disappears faster than anything else on the table.

The basic Christmas rocky road

• 400g milk or dark chocolate, chopped
• 150g marshmallows, halved if large
• 100g biscuits, broken into pieces
• 100g nuts, roughly chopped
• 50g dried cranberries or glacé cherries
• 40g desiccated coconut (optional)

1. Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave. Do not let it get too hot.
3. Let the chocolate cool for 5 minutes, so it does not melt the marshmallows.
4. Stir in everything else, then press into the tin.
5. Chill for at least 2 hours, then cut with a hot, dry knife.

The secret to rocky road that slices

The ratio. Too little chocolate and it falls apart; too much and it is just a chocolate block. Roughly equal weights of chocolate and mix-ins is a good guide.

What to put in rocky road

• Turkish delight. The traditional Australian addition. Our rose Turkish delight rocky road uses Real Turkish Delight Rose.
• Macadamias. Buttery and very Australian. Try Nutworks roast and salt macadamias for a salty edge.
• Biscuits. Shortbread, gingernuts or melting moments add crunch.
• Pretzels. Salty and crunchy. Candy cane pretzels make it festive.
• Chocolate-coated marshmallows. Chocolate-coated strawberry marshmallows for extra pink.
• Freeze-dried raspberries for colour and tang.

Christmas variations

• White Christmas rocky road: white chocolate, cranberries, pistachios and coconut.
• Gingerbread rocky road: dark chocolate with crushed gingerbread and a pinch of ground ginger. See our gingerbread guide.
• Candy cane rocky road: white chocolate, crushed candy canes and pretzels.
• Grown-up rocky road: 70% dark chocolate, sour cherries and a little sea salt on top.

Keeping rocky road from melting

Rocky road is chocolate, so on a hot day it softens fast.

• Store it in the fridge in an airtight container, with baking paper between layers.
• Take it out 10 minutes before serving so the chocolate is not rock hard.
• For gifts that will travel in the heat, pack them in a cooler bag.

Rocky road keeps for about two weeks in the fridge.

No time to make it?

Valley Produce Company Raspberry Rocky Road is milk chocolate with marshmallows, coconut and crunchy puffed corn, smothered in raspberry milk chocolate. Ready to give or to put straight on the table.

Rocky road as a gift

Cut rocky road into squares, stack it in a cellophane bag or a tin, and tie with ribbon. Add a handwritten label with the date it was made. More ideas in homemade Christmas food gifts, and see our Christmas chocolates and the full chocolate range.