Christmas Countdown 6: Rocky Road

Hardly a traditional Christmas food, but somehow rocky road is one of those indulgent sweet treats I associate with Christmas. It is definitely one recipe always included in a list of edible Christmas gifts. Rocky Road apparently got its name when William Dreyer cut up marshmallows and nuts and swirled them into chocolate ice cream in 1929, resembling his partner's chocolate bar invention. The company then gave it its name, something to smile about during the Great Depression. Rocky Road = Hard Times. If the alleged story is true, I think William Dreyer was travelling on a "rocky road" as it is said he used his wife's dressmaking scissors to cut up the ingredients for his rocky road treat.

I like rocky road just cut into bite sized pieces ( please use the kitchen scissors!), but at Christmas, rocky road in the shape of trees, wreaths, little houses and stars have become very popular.

Christmas Rocky Road variations make this sweet treat look even more festive and take it to gourmet status with the addition of turkish delight, pistachio nuts or macadamia nuts and dried cranberries or raisins. Sometimes white chocolate is used instead of milk chocolate, and rocky road takes on a "white" Christmas look. It can be a little sickly sweet, but making rocky road into a slice by adding plain biscuits or pretzels seems to tone down its sweetness. My best friend always makes me some rocky road slice for Christmas and I admit that I don't make it myself because it is just special to have it gifted to me. Here is a basic recipe for a quick and easy rocky road slice ... add your own Christmas ingredients to make it special...

500 g milk cooking chocolate, ( melted)
250 g of plain biscuits like Milk Coffee ( roughly chopped into small pieces)
100 g marshmallows ( chopped )
100 g red glace cherries ( halved)

Melt the chocolate and add the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly and spread in a flat pan. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set, and slice into pieces.

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