Rocky Road

This is a family recipe that we have been making every Christmas for as long as I can remember. It is a special treat that I HAVE to have now on that holiday - which is why I made it although I wasn't going home to New York this year *tear*. Rocky road can be many things such as ice cream, cookies and fudge. The recipe my family makes is the latter - fudge. We omit any nuts because of the allergies in our family but I don't miss them at all.

I did a little googling today and found out that there is a special day deemed "National Rocky Road Day" on June 3rd. What an awesome day that is HAHA! You better believe I will be making an exception on that day and making this special treat outside of the Christmas tradition! As you scroll down glancing at this long recipe, you may be discouraged - please don't be though! There are indeed a lot of ingredients and quite a few different steps but it is simple overall and very worth the end result.

Base of the Fudge:
1/2 cup margarine
1 oz (1 square) unsweetened chocolate, cut up
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Butter and flour a 13" x 9" baking pan. In a large saucepan, melt margarine and 1 oz chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. (Be careful and remember to stir contantly - you do not want to burn the bottom of this) Add flour and remaining base ingredients; mix well. Spread into the pan.

Filling for Fudge:
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened (reserve 2 oz)
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 (6oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
2 cups mini-marshmallows

In a small bowl combine all filling ingredients except the nuts, chocolate chips and marshmallows. Beat for 1 minute at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Spread over the chocolate base mixture in pan. Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle with mini-marshmallows over the top. Return to the oven for an additional 2-5 minutes or until the marshmallows are slightly brown.

Frosting for Fudge:
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup milk
1 oz (1 square) unsweetened chocolate, cut up
2 oz reserved cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

While bars are in oven, prepare frosting. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine margarine, milk, 1 oz chocolate and reserved 2 oz cream cheese; stir together until smooth. Remove from heat, add powdered sugar and vanilla; mix until smooth. As soon as you take the bars out of the oven with the marshmallows on them, spread frosting on immediately and swirl with a knife so that the hot marshmallows and frosting looks marbled. Refrigerate until firm. (Store in refrigerator, not on counter.) This recipe is so popular at my house during Christmas that we usually double this recipe - easy enough.

Notice the almost-empty pan - I saved those for me - YUM! Tutti Mangia!




I love you Mama - thanks for the memories!