Photo credit: Jason Varney
On Day 2 of my Valentine’s Day chocolate marathon, I have a recipe for Rocky Road Brownies.
This recipe features the rocky road trinity as we know it – chocolate, marshmallow and nuts.
But then you kick it up a notch with some burnt caramel sauce.
And the marshmallows are toasted so that’s also awesome.
I would reserve this for a lazy Sunday when I had some time to spend in the kitchen. Or, perhaps, make the ganache and the sauce ahead and finish the dessert as a showstopper at your next dinner party.
It is a labor of love, there’s no doubt. But isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is all about?
I have scoured hundreds of chocolate recipes and selected some of the best to share here.
Check back here because there are plenty more where that came from...
Rocky Road Brownies
1 cup Dark Chocolate Ganache (recipe below)
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup walnut or pecan pieces
½ cup Burnt Caramel Sauce below
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray and 8-inch square baking pan lightly with flavorless vegetable oil spray.
2. In a glass mixing bowl, melt the Dark Chocolate Ganache and butter together in the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is just melted. Stir until the ganache is melted and the mixture is smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon. Mix in the vanilla. Stir in the flour and salt until just combined.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Turn on the broiler. Immediately sprinkle the marshmallows and nuts evenly over the hot brownies. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the marshmallows are light golden brown. Cool the brownies to room temperature in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. Drizzle the Carmel or Chocolate Sauce over the cooled brownies before cutting into 9 squares.
- from Choclatique, 150 Simply Elegant Desserts
Dark Chocolate Ganache
1 ¼ cups water
2/3 cups light corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 ¼ teaspoons chocolate extract
1. In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the water, corn syrup, cocoa powder, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk until blended. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Immediately add the chocolate and chocolate extract to the pan and whisk until smooth. Set aside for about 1 hour to cool completely, whisking every 15 minutes or so to keep the ganache emulsified.
3. When cool, transfer the ganache to a rigid plastic or glass container, cover, date and refrigerate for up to three months.
Burnt Caramel Sauce
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1. In a heavy, medium saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Let the syrup boil, without stirring, until it begins to color around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Begin to whisk the syrup until it turns deep brown and just begins to smell burned, about 2 minutes longer. (The darker the syrup, the deeper the flavor, so cook accordingly.)
2. Slowly and carefully add the cream to the syrup (it will froth vigorously to the top of the pan). Continue to whisk until the cream is completely incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool at room temperature. Use immediately or transfer to a tightly covered container and refrigerate up to one month.
- from Choclatique by Ed Engoron with Mary Goodbody
