Home/Dessert/Easy Sliceable Rocky Road Treats for a White Christmas
Dessert · Western

Easy Sliceable Rocky Road Treats for a White Christmas

A tiny bit of oil keeps the melted candy smooth, meaning this easy White Christmas Rocky Road slices beautifully instead of shattering.

Pin
🗓 Cooking this…
A thick slab of white chocolate rocky road filled with red cherries, green pistachios, and marshmallows.
Photograph by the CookingMyRecipes kitchen
Total
15 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
0 min
Serves
20
Level
Easy

Making Easy Sliceable Rocky Road Treats for a White Christmas involves stirring a little oil into the liquid chocolate. This creates a thinner consistency that evenly coats the four and a half cups of Mix-Ins. After three hours in the refrigerator, the firm candy block divides cleanly into approximately twenty servings without cracking.

The white chocolate

Start with 1 lb (500 g) of white chocolate melts, chips, discs, or a finely chopped tempered block. Avoid regular confectionery eating chocolate because it refuses to melt smoothly. Combine the chocolate and oil before heating to create a thinner liquid that easily coats the Mix-Ins. Warm the mixture in the microwave using thirty-second bursts, pausing to stir until completely fluid. Alternatively, you can melt the ingredients by placing a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Use a single chopstick to stir the melting chocolate. A chopstick provides far less physical space for the thick liquid to stick to.

Measuring the Mix-Ins

The recipe needs exactly four and a half cups of Mix-Ins total. Standard marshmallows cut in half with a knife provide necessary bulk to the dish. They keep the mixture from becoming overly heavy or dense. A batch made without marshmallows turns into dense, overly sweet blocks of solid white chocolate. Glacé cherries provide a bright red color and a soft texture. This texture pairs well with the coconut. Pistachios add green coloring and are small enough to use whole. Eight minutes in the oven at 350°F (180°C) brings out the flavor and crispness of the pistachios. Unsweetened desiccated coconut provides a distinct traditional flavor to the dish. Omit the desiccated coconut and you lose the classic taste associated with the dish.

Alternative ingredients

Swap out the white base for a regular milk or darker cocoa alternative if you prefer. Tiny whole marshmallows easily take the place of the halved regular ones. Dried cranberries offer an excellent substitute for the glacé cherries, and almonds or any other favorite nut will work instead of the pistachios. You might also consider mixing in extra components, such as: [li] Caramel popcorn, honeycomb, crushed candy canes, or festive chocolate candies. [li] Raisins, sultanas, dried peaches, dried mangoes, or dried apricots. [li] Snapped biscuit pieces, including spiced cookies, gingerbread, or shortbread. [li] Raspberries or Turkish delight.

  • Brightly colored chocolate candies, broken candy canes, caramel-coated popcorn, or honeycomb. [li] Chewy dried fruits, such as apricots, mangoes, peaches, sultanas, or regular raisins. [li] Crumbled cookies, choosing from spiced biscuits, gingerbread, or shortbread. [li] Chunks of Turkish delight, or raspberries.
  • Dried apricots, mangoes, peaches, sultanas, or raisins.
  • Broken pieces of biscuits like shortbread, gingerbread, or spiced cookies.
  • Turkish delight or raspberries.

Setting the candy

Lightly grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with butter. Line the pan with baking paper. Leave an overhang to assist with removal later. Pour the combined mixture into the pan. Bang the filled pan firmly on the counter. This helps the mixture settle and creates an even surface. Refrigerate the mixture uncovered for three hours or until firm. Plastic wrap placed over the warm chocolate in the refrigerator traps condensation. This moisture then drips onto the surface of the candy.

Slicing and storing

Use the paper overhang to lift the solid block out of the pan before cutting. The added oil allows the set block to slice cleanly without cracking.

Divide the firm candy into five strips. From there, chop the strips into bite-sized squares to pass around, or keep them as bigger, nougat-style portions to give away as presents.

Store the cut portions in a cool spot away from moisture, where they will keep for a minimum of two weeks. You can move the candy into the fridge if the surrounding environment gets excessively hot.

The Recipe serves 20 · 15 min

Easy Sliceable Rocky Road Treats for a White Christmas

Serves 20

Ingredients

  • 1 lb white chocolate melts, discs, chips, or chopped block
  • 2 tbsp grapeseed oil, or other neutral-flavored oil

Mix-Ins

  • 2.5 cup tightly packed regular marshmallows, most cut in half
  • 1 cup unsalted pistachios, toasted
  • 1 cup glacé cherries
  • 0.5 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut, or finely shredded, not flakes

We may earn a small commission from grocery & equipment links, at no cost to you. Disclosure.

Method

1
Start with an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan. Use a little butter to grease the bottom and sides. Line the pan with baking paper. Let the paper hang over the edges to help you lift the candy out later. Pick out 8 or so glacé cherries and reserve them. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of pistachios. Chop those nuts finely. Keep the chopped nuts and the reserved cherries aside for the top.
2
Place the white chocolate and the oil into a microwave-safe container. Heat the chocolate mixture in the microwave for thirty seconds at a time. Stir the liquid during every pause until it becomes fully fluid without any lumps.
3
Dump the remaining Mix-Ins directly into the warm liquid. Stir the chocolate mixture until all the candy and nuts are well coated.
4
Pour the mixture into your lined pan. Spread it out evenly, then give the pan a hard bang against the counter and a quick shake so the candy settles. Top the surface with the glacé cherries you set aside earlier, and sprinkle your finely chopped pistachios all over.
5
Refrigerate the pan for 3 hours until the candy feels firm. Pull the extra paper at the edges to lift the solid mixture out of the pan. Cut five lines through the candy. You can keep the portions as larger pieces, or chop them into bite-sized chunks. Timer 180 min
Nutritionper serving
254
Calories
3g
Protein
32g
Carbs
14g
Fat
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 254Calories from fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g18%
Saturated fat 7g35%
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 31mg1%
Carbohydrates 32g12%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 25g50%
Protein 3g6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet (FDA daily values) and are computed automatically.
Nutrition is estimated and provided for convenience. Source: Edamam.
Cook's notes

Substitutions

You can swap out the components as long as you maintain a total of four and a half cups of add-ins, using alternatives like broken spiced cookies, Turkish delight, or dried peaches.

Miniature marshmallows can be used whole if you want to skip the step of cutting regular ones in half.

Storage

Store this white Christmas rocky road in a cool area free from moisture for two weeks or longer. If your surrounding environment becomes excessively hot, keep the treats in the refrigerator instead.

Serving

Cut the candy into five strips before portioning it into roughly twenty squares for a platter or larger nougat-style bars for holiday gifting.

Common mistakes

Leaving out the marshmallows is a mistake that will leave you with a heavy, overly sweet block of solid white chocolate.

Never cover the pan with plastic wrap while the chocolate is still warm, as condensation will form in the refrigerator and drip onto the surface.

Techniques

The small amount of oil thins the melted chocolate to thoroughly coat your Mix-Ins and ensures the finished block slices cleanly without cracking.

Avoid using standard eating chocolate since it does not melt smoothly, and stick to white chocolate melts, chips, or finely chopped tempered blocks.

Ensure all bowls and utensils are completely dry before melting chocolate, as even a single drop of water can cause the mixture to seize.

Toasting the pistachios for eight minutes at 350F (180C) will enhance their flavor and crispness before they go into the candy.

As an alternative to the microwave, you can melt the white chocolate by setting a heatproof bowl over simmering water.

Dip a heavy, sharp knife in hot water and wipe it completely dry to easily slice cleanly through thick chocolate blocks.

Make ahead, store & reheat
Store
Store this white Christmas rocky road in a cool area free from moisture for two weeks or longer. If your surrounding environment becomes excessively hot, keep the treats in the refrigerator instead.
Frequently asked
Can I use different candies and nuts?

Yes, you can customize the Mix-Ins as long as you maintain a total of four and a half cups. You can swap the pistachios for almonds, replace the cherries with dried cranberries, or add crushed candy canes, honeycomb, and broken cookies.

Can I replace the white base with a milk alternative or a darker chocolate?

Yes, you can replace the white base with an equal amount of dark chocolate or milk chocolate. Chips and melts work perfectly, or you can use a finely chopped tempered block instead.

What happens if I leave out the marshmallows?

Skipping the marshmallows removes the necessary bulk from the mixture. This mistake will leave you with a dense, heavy, and overly sweet block of solid white chocolate.

Should I cover the pan while it chills?

Never cover the pan with plastic wrap while the chocolate is still warm. Doing so traps condensation in the refrigerator, which will then drip onto the surface of your candy.

Why did my melted chocolate suddenly become thick and grainy?

Even a single drop of water can cause melting chocolate to seize and become lumpy. Always ensure your heatproof bowl and utensils are completely dry before you start.

How do I get clean slices without shattering the block?

Dip a heavy, sharp knife in hot water and wipe it completely dry before pressing down. The residual heat easily slices cleanly through thick chocolate blocks.

How long do these Easy Sliceable Rocky Road Treats for a White Christmas last?

The sliced portions will keep for a minimum of two weeks in a cool and dry location. Move the container to the refrigerator if your surrounding environment becomes excessively hot.

How many pieces does this recipe make?

You will get roughly twenty portions from this recipe. Slice the solid block into five strips first. From there, you can chop the candy into small squares to share, or divide the strips into bigger, nougat-sized bars to give away as presents.

Add a private note

Private to this device - jot your tweaks, swaps and timings. (Syncs to your account later.)

What to serve with it

See all →
More like this:Dessert recipes →

You might also like

See all →

The Friday 3-recipe dinner plan 🧡

Every Friday: three tested weeknight dinners + one shopping list, ready to go. No spam, ever - unsubscribe anytime.