America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Rocky Road Bark

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 27, 2011

Time

45 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling and 30 minutes chilling

Yield

Serves 16 (Makes sixteen 2-inch squares)

Rocky Road Bark

Ingredients

6 whole graham crackers 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar ½ teaspoon table salt 1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) milk chocolate chips ¾ cup mini-marshmallows ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

Before You Begin

On the odd chance that you have some leftover Rocky Road Bark, it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Instructions

  1. Make graham cracker layer: Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 8-inch-square baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, making sure that foil is tucked into all corners and that at least 1 inch of foil overhangs top of pan on all sides. In single layer, line bottom of pan with graham crackers, breaking them if necessary to fit tightly.
  2. Make caramel: Combine butter, brown sugar, and salt in small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Scrape mixture onto graham crackers and smooth with small spatula so that mixture covers crackers completely. Bake until caramel is bubbling, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add chocolate: Remove pan from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and return to oven to soften chocolate, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and, using spatula, smooth chocolate into even layer.
  4. Garnish and freeze: Sprinkle marshmallows and then nuts over chocolate. Press lightly with fingertips to adhere to chocolate. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes, then freeze until chocolate hardens, 30 minutes.
  5. Cut and serve: Grabbing overhang, lift foil from pan onto cutting board and use sharp chef’s knife to cut bark into 2-inch-squares.
Rocky Road Bark
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Catrine Kelty.

Rocky Road Bark

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Time

45 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling and 30 minutes chilling

Yield

Serves 16 (Makes sixteen 2-inch squares)

Ingredients

6 whole graham crackers
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) milk chocolate chips
¾ cup mini-marshmallows
½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

Ingredients

6 whole graham crackers
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) milk chocolate chips
¾ cup mini-marshmallows
½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

Ingredients

6 whole graham crackers
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
1 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) milk chocolate chips
¾ cup mini-marshmallows
½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds

Why This Recipe Works

Candy stores sell a bumpy, rough-looking confection of chocolate, marshmallows, and nuts on a cookie base, but we wanted to make our own Rocky Road Bark at home. A quick caramel made from butter and brown sugar—no boiling sugar to maneuver—helped stick the graham cracker base together. We built the “bark" in layers by melting the chocolate into a smooth layer, then topping it with the nuts and marshmallows. We found that freezing the Rocky Road Bark until firm before slicing allowed us to make the cleanest cuts.

Before You Begin

On the odd chance that you have some leftover Rocky Road Bark, it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Instructions

  1. Make graham cracker layer: Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 8-inch-square baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, making sure that foil is tucked into all corners and that at least 1 inch of foil overhangs top of pan on all sides. In single layer, line bottom of pan with graham crackers, breaking them if necessary to fit tightly.
  2. Make caramel: Combine butter, brown sugar, and salt in small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Scrape mixture onto graham crackers and smooth with small spatula so that mixture covers crackers completely. Bake until caramel is bubbling, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add chocolate: Remove pan from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and return to oven to soften chocolate, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and, using spatula, smooth chocolate into even layer.
  4. Garnish and freeze: Sprinkle marshmallows and then nuts over chocolate. Press lightly with fingertips to adhere to chocolate. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes, then freeze until chocolate hardens, 30 minutes.
  5. Cut and serve: Grabbing overhang, lift foil from pan onto cutting board and use sharp chef’s knife to cut bark into 2-inch-squares.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.