Rocky Road Bars Recipe
Rocky Road Bars are excellent for sharing at a gathering. Your friends and family will love the flavor and texture of these dessert bars inspired by the classic Rocky Road ice cream.
Servings 16 to 20 bars
Calories 370kcal
Equipment
- 9x9 inch pan
- Double boiler
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (50g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Ganache Filling:
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate bars chopped (226g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120mL)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed and room temperature
For the Topping:
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt optional
- 1½ cups mini marshmallows (70g)
- ½ cup chopped roasted, salted almonds (80g)
- 2 ounces melted dark chocolate optional (56g)
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg yolk, then mix until combined. Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing low speed to combine completely between each addition.
- Place the mixture in the prepared pan and press into an even layer.
- Bake for 23 to 25 minutes or until the top looks dry and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan.
For the Ganache:
- Once the crust is cool, in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream until very steamy and just about to boil. (You can also heat it in the microwave for about 1 minute until very hot.)
- Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and cover the bowl with a similarly sized plate or plastic wrap. Set aside for 5 minutes, allowing the chocolate to melt from the heat of the cream.
- Whisk the chocolate and cream together until fully combined, smooth, and glossy. If there are a few pieces of chocolate left unmelted, you can microwave the ganache at 50% power for about 10 seconds and whisk again.
- Stir in the butter until melted. Pour the filling over the cooled crust and smooth into an even layer.
To Finish:
- Sprinkle the sea salt all over the warm ganache, then distribute the marshmallows and chopped almonds in a single layer evenly over the top. Press gently so that they sink into the ganache slightly.
- Drizzle with melted chocolate, if you like.
- Let the ganache harden at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, or refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to firm up the bars. The bars are best stored at room temperature for optimal texture.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set the cookie crust refrigerator ingredients out in advance. If you forget to set out the butter (which can take a long time to come to room temperature), see my post for how to soften butter quickly.
- Weigh the flour. To ensure you use the correct amount of flour, weigh it. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into a measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife. Using too much flour can cause the cookie crust to be dry and crumbly.
- To melt the chocolate for drizzling on top, place chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips in a small bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue melting at 50% power in 15-second intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Drizzle over the top of the rocky road bars with a small spoon.
Nutrition
Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 553IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg