Rocky Road for July's No Waste Food Challenge

This was a proper clear out the cupboards recipe, and I am using it to open up July’s No Waste Food challenge which I am hosting this month, with thanks to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary who is allowing me to take hold of the reins for July! I have been a bit sparse what with life getting in the way so its a good way to dive back in to blogging!

Normally biscuits are like gold dust here, I fill the tin... a few days later...its empty.. however for some reason un-be known to the laws of biscuit munching, a box of shortbread fingers was sadly gathering dust at the back of the cupboard. In fact the box informed me it was best before November last year. Oops. It was sealed however and for this recipe it worked perfectly! 

Next came the white chocolate – chocolate in this household is like those fast car movies – gone in 60 seconds but it turns out my boyfriend doesn’t like white chocolate and I’d had a few bars hanging around from about Christmas time that Sainsbury's had very kindly sent my way, that were simply begging to be used up, along with a bar of milk hazelnut chocolate that I had hidden from the other resident chocoholic… 

Last but not least was a bag of some fancy dried fruit and nut mix, that we just didn't seem to be getting through despite it being here since Christmas! Since a career change recently, I now have weekends to myself and find myself making things most weekends, and this Rocky Road was no exception! Born out of using up these odds and sods to create something a bit more special. Turns out neglected ingredients can work a treat!

Now prior to decorating with lots of sugar confetti and magic sparkle it er, looked like baby sick and I have decided to not share that picture with you to save putting you off! Now don’t leave me – it is salvageable trust me! Like most things in life a little sparkle saves the day!  

Ingredients:

200g white chocolate

100g milk hazelnut chocolate

100g shortbread

50g dried fruit and nut mix
40g mini marshmallows

Sugar confetti/ sprinkles of choice

Start by crumbling up the shortbread into small pieces, stir in the fruit and nuts. Melt all the white chocolate with half the milk chocolate either slowly on the hob in a heavy pan/ bain marie or gently zap in bursts in the microwave and stir through the biscuit fruit mix, spoon into a 8” square silicon cake pan or line a tin with baking paper and chill until set.

Melt the remaining chocolate and spoon over the rocky road in drizzles, sprinkle over your desired confetti or cake sprinkles/ fairy dust and chill for a couple of hours.

When its fully set, turn out onto a chopping board and with a sharp knife cut into squares:

My Rocky Road was shockingly good, it lasted less than a day in the tub! I took some over on Father's Day to my brothers house and it seemed to vanish into thin air! I think we fought over the scraps...Considering it was my first attempt at Rocky Road we were all very happy to eat it! Even the white chocolate haters wolfed it down! And I have to thank one of my eagle eyed commenters - I had indeed forgotten to write that I also added the last of a bag of mini marshmallows - not a leftover at all as they vanish fast here!

So now the challenge is out there bloggers - send me your best recipes for what would have otherwise gone to waste! I am looking forward to seeing what you all come up with! This is my first time using a linky software so apologies if it doesn't quite work!

Challenge Conditions:

1. Please link up your url using the linky at the bottom of this challenge post.

2. Feel free to republish old posts just make sure you add a link to the current challenge and add the challenge badge (the blue badge at the top of this post).

3. Make sure you link up before the end of July!

4. Posts will be added to the No Waste Food Challenge Pinterest Board to help spread the food waste prevention love!

5. Please make sure your post includes a link back to this blog post and the relevant month’s host.

6. Tweet @TangoRaindrop and me @anneskitchen with the tag #NoWasteFoodChallenge and we will re-tweet all that we see.