Never Fail Rocky Road

This was supposed to be a very different post.

It was supposed to be about the healthy cacao and spinach smoothies I've been enjoying lately and how I'm using them to help break my current chocolate addiction.

And I have been making and enjoying such smoothies, and they have been satisfying my chocolate addiction but as much as I try, I just can't find a way to make it look appetising for photos in any way.

The whole point of the smoothie is to incorporate veggies, such as spinach and avocado, into the mix, but the use of green veggies means the end result is not a rich chocolate coloured smoothie.  Lets just say it looks more like something from the end point of digestion rather than the beginning!

So that's why you don't have the smoothie recipe.  But if you still want the smoothie recipe, subscribe to my newsletter as I'll be sharing it there.  But how did I go from uber healthy raw cacao, spinach, avocado, almond milk, protein smoothie to sugar loaded in rocky road?  I promise there was a method to my madness!  

I eat much better when the cupboard in not full of chocolate - out of sight and out of mind and all of that.  But since Easter our 'treats' shelf has exploded onto a second shelf and we now have way too much chocolate at home.  My Nana even gave MJ an Easter hamper she won so I needed to get rid of some of it, and quick.  I can't waste food so I can't throw it out and I wasn't even able to give it away with everyone else already stocked up from Easter. So I decided instead to use it up in a rocky road, a treat my husband can't resist.  I knew if I made it, it would be gone in no time.  Better his waistline than mine ;)

The recipe I have included below uses 200g dark chocolate and 50g milk chocolate as this is my preferred favourite ratio.  This batch is probably closer to half and half as I used whatever chocolate I had lying around - failed Easter egg experiments, an elegant bunny and medium eggs all went in.

I really do think you need to use some dark chocolate, especially if you are using some of the cheaper Easter egg chocolate.  It can just become all together too sweet otherwise.

I often play around with the nut ratio.  Almonds and walnuts are a must for me, but the ratio can change to suit your taste or what's in the cupboard.  Cranberries can become sultanas, peanuts can become macadamias, pistachios or a half packet of leftover crushed biscuits sitting in the cupboard. A handful of toasted coconut can be nice too.  And if you don't have coconut oil, use butter instead.

It's all about keeping a balance of crunch, chew and colour using whatever combination suits you.

I've also made a vegan version using Whittaker Dark Chocolate (no milk solids) and vegan marshmallows (no gelatin).

Never Fail Rocky Road

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate
• 50g milk chocolate
• 50g coconut oil
• 100g pink and white marshmallows
• 100g walnuts
• 50g natural almonds
• 50 crushed peanuts
• 100g dried cranberries

Cooking Directions

1. Spray a slice pan with cooking oil and line with baking paper.
2. Chop the marshmallows, walnuts and almonds into small chunks. Set aside. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave proof bowl with the coconut oil. Melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts, taking it out to stir in between bursts. Stop just before the chocolate is completely melted and keep stirring until smooth.
3. Add the walnuts, peanuts, almonds, marshmallows and cranberries to the chocolate and mix until well combined. Pour into prepared tray and refrigerate until set.

What do you throw into your rocky road?

Linking up with the lovely girls at Fabulous Foodie Fridays

Keep smiling 

Dani