Rocky Road Chunks

  •  Rocky Road Chunks

    Happiness is… a dessert made of chocolate, marshmallows, white chocolate chips and walnuts.

    Happiness is… an easy-to-make dessert that doesn’t require you to turn your oven on (and in my case, that’s a great thing since there’s something wrong with the pilot light and we need to use a lighter to coax our oven to start these days).

    Happiness is… a dessert that elicits unsolicited praise from The Husband (like when he ate one of the chunks I left out for him while I was asleep on the couch and then made a point when I woke up- all bleary-eyed- of asking me what it was that he ate, because he liked it so much).  In a house where I force-feed baked goods on this guinea pig of a man at least three times a week, a genuine compliment that I haven’t teased out of him means something.  It means that Rocky Road Chunks are here to stay.

    This recipe makes about 20 chunks… and are gluten-free, of course.

     8 oz. (or about 1 1/4 cups) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely or in chips

    1 cup miniature marshmallows

    1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped into chunks (optional)

    2 oz. (or about 1/2 cup) white chocolate, chopped into chunks or in chips

    1 oz. (or about 1/4 cup) white chocolate, chopped finely or in chips [for optional drizzle over cooled chunks]

    1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and set aside.
    2. In the top of a double boiler over hot water, melt semi-sweet chocolate (stirring occasionally) until smooth.  Remove pot from water and allow to cool for 10 – 15 minutes.
    3. Stir in marshmallows, walnuts and white chocolate chunks/chips until well blended.
    4. Scoop tablespoon sized chunks onto the prepared pan and refrigerate until chocolate has set.
    5. OPTIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: melt 1/4 cup of white chocolate in microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring between each interval to ensure you don’t burn the chocolate.  Pour melted chocolate into a small sandwich bag, snip a tiny tip off of one corner, and drizzle the chocolate over the cooled chunks.  Return to fridge to set for at least another 20 minutes.

    Tips:

    • Chocolate types can vary depending on your preference.  If you’re a milk chocolate lover, substitute that instead of the semi-sweet (or use bittersweet instead if you’re looking for a bit more intensity).  Try to use the best brand you can find/afford, as this is a chocolate-forward dessert- so you might not want to use the no-name brand in this recipe, you know what I mean?
    • Nuts, no nuts?  I didn’t have any nuts in the cupboard when I made this, so they are nut-free (VERY strange that I’m out of nuts, I must say.  I usually stock nuts as though I am rationing for some sort of nut-free armageddon.).  Use pecans if you prefer over walnuts, or peanuts would be great too.  Toasting nuts is 100% essential!  (Well, 90% essential.  If you don’t feel like it, who cares.)  Just toss into a non-stick skillet over medium/ medium-high heat, swirl often, and toast for a few minutes until nuts start to turn golden brown and become fragrant in that nutty way.  (I usually throw into the oven while it preheats, but this gem of a recipe skips the whole oven routine… just make sure you don’t burn the crap out of your nuts like I have done.  They go from “fragrant” to “charred” in no time, if you’re not paying attention.)
    • Too lazy to use a double boiler?  I agree!  Celebrate kitchen efficiency!  By all means, microwave the chocolate instead- for about 50 seconds.  Just make sure to stop and stir often, so you don’t over zap.  (If you don’t have a proper double boiler and you don’t want to microwave, just set a heatproof bowl over a simmering pot of water, and melt chocolate in the bowl.  Be sure to use an oven mitt to grasp the sides of the bowl as you stir the melting chocolate… a mistake I have made many a time.)
    • Using a scoop is heavenly.  I love this kind from King Arthur Flour, but you can get them at any kitchen store.  Seriously- the scoops make cookies & muffins SO much easier to deal with- neater, faster.  Heaven.
    • Yes, these freeze, but why bother?  Keep them covered and eat them all within a few days.

     

     

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    September 4th, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: ,

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