Author Notes
You can easily make rocky road yourself, even if you do not know how to temper chocolate or simply do not want to bother. Either way, it will be better rocky road than you can buy in stores and you will love the dramatic slices.
Large store-bought marshmallows snipped into quarters with an oiled knife or kitchen scissors are better—in looks, taste, and texture— than mini marshmallows here. And this may sound like heresy, but I like chewy commercial marshmallows better than the soft homemade ones. So give yourself permission to buy the marshmallows. Large pieces of walnuts are also advised for visual drama and for crunch.
If you choose not to temper the chocolate, do cool it to 90º F as instructed before folding in the inclusions. —Alice Medrich
Ingredients
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8 ounces
(225 grams) regular large marshmallows, snipped in quarters
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2 cups
(slightly generous, 225 grams) walnut halves (or large pieces)
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2 pounds
(900 grams) dark, milk, or white chocolate (from wafers or pistoles or bars, but not chocolate chips) melted and either cooled to 90° F or tempered
Directions
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a large rubber or Silicone spatula to fold the snipped marshmallows and walnuts into the chocolate, turning the mixture over and over and scraping the chocolate from the bottom and sides of the bowl, until all of the pieces are coated with chocolate. Immediately scrape the mixture onto the parchment lined sheet, forming a long bumpy log shape about 3 1/2 to 4 inches wide and 20 to 22 inches long.
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If the chocolate was tempered, place the baking sheet it in a cool place, or in front of a fan (I keep an electric fan for just this purpose!) for at least 30 minutes to set the chocolate. If the chocolate was not tempered, set the pan in the fridge until the chocolate it set.
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When the chocolate is thoroughly set, use a sharp serrated knife to cut the log (crosswise or on the diagonal) into slices about 1/2-inch thick.
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Store rocky road in an airtight container in a cool place if the chocolate was tempered, or in the refrigerator if it was not.
My career was sparked by a single bite of a chocolate truffle, made by my Paris landlady in 1972. I returned home to open this country’s first chocolate bakery and dessert shop, Cocolat, and I am often “blamed” for introducing chocolate truffles to America. Today I am the James Beard Foundation and IACP award-winning author of ten cookbooks, teach a chocolate dessert class on Craftsy.com, and work with some of the world’s best chocolate companies. In 2018, I won the IACP Award for Best Food-Focused Column (this one!).
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