Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Vegan pebble road {chocolate marshmallow slice with dried apricots and biscuits}

When I made up my vegan marshmallows this month, it seemed entirely likely that I would eat the whole batch within a week. I didn't make the marshmallows with a specific purpose in mind, but I did imagine that I'd do more than toss them straight into my mouth.

As it turns out, vegan marshmallows are rather easy to eat a lot of. I don't recall being obsessed with regular marshmallows when I ate products with gelatine, but perhaps absence makes the heart (and mouth) grow fonder.


Fortunately, I was able to reserve some of the marshmallows to make this slice. I have christened it pebble road because it is inspired by rocky road. However, it is really a cross between rocky road, a hedgehog slice and a tiffin slice, as biscuit (cookie) pieces stand in for nuts. Whatever name you apply to it, it is delicious. It is also just as easy to eat as plain marshmallows!


I used dried apricots in the mix after seeing Charlie's recipe for apricot and pistachio rocky road at Hotly Spiced.  If you are after a sophisticated, nutty rocky road treat, I highly recommend her recipe. My version is less sophisticated than Charlie's, but I will still recommend it on grounds of taste!



Vegan pebble road
An easy to make chocolate marshmallow slice with dried apricot and biscuit pieces.
Inspired by Charlie's recipe for apricot and pistachio rocky road at Hotly Spiced.
Vegan and no bake.
Makes about 20 small squares.


Ingredients
90g (6 large) plain wheat biscuits (I used Digestive biscuits; American graham crackers should work)
1 cup vegan marshmallow pieces
1/2 cup dried apricots
60-80g dairy-free dark chocolate (I used 60g Lindt 70% chocolate)
60-80g diary-free milk chocolate (I used 60g Sweet Williams milk chocolate)


Method
Line a square baking dish with grease proof paper.

Place your biscuits in a plastic bag and bash against a hard service to roughly crush. You want biscuit pieces of various sizes. 

Roughly chop the marshmallows and dried apricots into quarters.

Melt your chocolate (dark and milk) on low power in the microwave or over the stove top, stirring regularly.

When the chocolate is melted, add in the crushed biscuits, chopped marshmallows and chopped apricots. Mix to thoroughly combine. Transfer the mixture to your baking dish and press down evenly.

Set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and then slice into squares to serve.


I really need to order more vegan marshmallow mix as a matter of priority.

Do you enjoy rocky road? How about chocolate-based slices? They don't usually make me that excited, but this one has proved an exception...

31 comments:

  1. I do love rocky road and this recipe looks amazing! :)

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  2. Thanks so much for the shout out, Kari. So nice of you. This rocky road looks amazing. Who could refuse a square of rocky road! I think the apricots are a great addition because they add such a nice contrasting sour/sweet taste xx

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    1. I agree - it was a wonderful idea :) Thank you for the inspiration!

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  3. I am really impressed because when I made the angelfood marshmallow mine were so soft that when I tried rocky road it melted into the chocolate and was a horrid mess - but yours looks delicious

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    1. How long a gap was there between when you made your marshmallows and when you tried the rocky road? I wonder if it makes a difference that my marshmallows had a full week in the fridge in between... Hopefully your next packet will be more resilient!

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  4. I can totally relate to absence making the heart grow fonder. I was never a fan of milk chocolate or even a big cheeze person- but now I gobble up vegan milk chocolate if I have it and me having a bag of Daiya in the house is dangerous! Weird eh?

    This looks fantastic!!

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    1. Thanks Gabby! And thank goodness it isn't just me who develops lack of control with hard-to-find vegan products ;)

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  5. I just smiled right now as I imagined you popping these vegan marshmallows into your mouth ;). I'm the same way. I may have ambitious, exciting, and BIG plans of transforming certain ingredients into a final product that's sure to impress. Only if I can resist the temptation of saving them ;). I haven't had a rocky road in a very very long time, but your version sounds marvelous. I have never had dairy-free chocolate. My tastebuds are curious now...

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    1. It's not all that different to dairy-containing chocolate really :-) If you like dark chocolate then it's pretty much identical, otherwise milk chocolate without dairy has a slightly different taste because it usually involves soy. I like it though!

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  6. Ah, this has got sophistication to spare, I'm sure of it.

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    1. It might have, if I could summon up the ability to eat it in a sophisticated manner. Alas, it so often jumps from the fridge straight into my mouth!

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  7. Funny you should mention it. I actually made rocky road to sell at my charity bake sale this morning! I loved marshies as a meat eater and that's why I came up with my vegetarian marshmallow recipe. I couldn't master the vegan version. . . not without additives and fake eggs. Love this recipe. :) Looks great.

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    1. Ooh, is your vegetarian marshmallow recipe on your blog? I will have to have a look! My vegan ones are obviously from a pack mix, so I have no idea how you'd make mallows from scratch!

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  8. These look addictive! I would eat so many!!

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  9. Thanks Senka - it sounds like a great site. I will head over to have a look.

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  10. Looks delicious Kari! I need to make some marshmallows so that I can make this. :)

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    1. I'm glad it appeals! I need some more marshmallows so I can make it again ;)

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  11. I love rocky road, one of my favourites! Will have to try your pebble road for sure!

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    1. Thanks Ali! I hope you like it if you do :-)

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  12. This sounds awesome, Kari - Viper's favourite is hedgehog slice (albeit the nasty nasty trashy ingredient variety) I think I may have to make your version for him - he won't even know it's healthier ;)

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    1. Mr B loves hedgehog slice too, especially the Brumby's bakery one (although he only gets through half of them at a time, they are big!) :-) This is definitely better, in my view!

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  13. However you want to categorise this, it looks delicious! I am a marshmallow addict, so I'd love this.

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    1. I think I am a marshmallow addict now as well!

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  14. Yum! What a great recipe! And such a cute name. : )

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