Rocky Road
Memorable Monday Moments:
Rocky Road - a special FHE treat
One of my favorite memories from elementary school is making Rocky Road candy for my school teachers each December. Mom would go to San Francisco and bring home a ten pound block of Ghiradelli chocolate. (Or maybe it was a different brand, and maybe it was delivered, but somehow a giant brick of chocolate made it to the kitchen counter!) She would chop it into one pound sections, and each of the kids would get a chance to make Rocky Road. The highlight of the experience was being able to lick the bowl! Then we would package it and deliver it to our friends and teachers.
This was a tradition that continued with my own children, although with a few variations. We didn't live close enough to San Francisco to get "real" chocolate, but I discovered that milk chocolate chips work just fine. We also used a microwave to melt the chocolate instead of a double boiler. However, this year our microwave started sparking when I put the chocolate inside, so I pulled out the pan to melt it the old-fashioned way. Steven was really intrigued! And even though we stopped delivering the candy to school teachers once they reached middle school, he decided that he had one teacher this year that deserved some.
In addition, once Jeff realized how easy it was to make, Rocky Road was no longer relegated to a December only treat! I suspect that this is one tradition that will continue for a long, long time.
To make Rocky Road, place one pound* of milk chocolate in the top of a double boiler (or use a microwave to melt it).
Stir more frequently near the end and remove from the heat when it's all melted.
Stir in 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts. (You can use pecans or almonds for variety. Or you can be like Steven and omit them entirely.)
Then add 3 cups of mini marshmallows and stir until everything's coated with chocolate.
Spread into a butttered 9" square pan and chill until it sets up.
Don't forget to reap the reward of your labor!
When the candy is hard enough, plop the whole piece onto a cutting board. The easiest way to do this is to run a sharp knife along the edges, put the pan upside on the board, and give it a good whack. Then remove the pan and flip the chocolate.
Cut it into large squares
or smaller, bite-size pieces.
Place it in a pretty package to give away, or just eat it yourself.
*Note: You can make a smaller batch by using 1 package of milk chocolate chips (about 11 ounces), 2 cups of mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Use an 8x8" square pan, or 9x5" loaf pan, or turn it into "bark" by spreading the mixture on a cookie sheet to cool.
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