ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE: National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day!

It's sweltering here in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is the first of many heatwaves predicted for the summer--and summer isn't even here yet! Climate Change!!! I'm posting a recipe for a delicious Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie. It's a great way to cool off. 

Rocky Road Ice Cream was 'invented' in Oakland,  CA. One story goes that the Rocky Road ice cream flavor was created in March 1929 by William Dreyer in Oakland, CA. He cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream that reflected his partner Joseph Edy's chocolate candy that used walnuts and marshmallow pieces. Later the walnuts were replaced by toasted almonds. Fenton's Creamery in Oakland claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky-Road style ice cream flavor invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren, who blended his own Rocky Road-style candy bar into ice cream.  So however it came into existence, have a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream today... or make a Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie!

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
2 cups vanilla fudge swirl ice cream, softened
2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and divided
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped (or lightly salted peanuts)
*Chocolate Pie Crust (see recipe below) Prepare first**

Directions
In large bowl stir together ice cream, marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate, and toasted almonds or peanuts. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped chocolate.
Cover and freeze at least 2 hours or until firm.
Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Chocolate Pie Crust (good for lots of pies)
2 cups chocolate wafers (in a pinch use Oreos)
6 Tbsp butter

Directions
Melt butter.
Put chocolate wafers in plastic bag. Close bag and crush with spoon or rolling pin until you have tiny pea-sized chocolate bits. Or just whirl the cookies in a blender.
Combine melted butter with chocolate bits.
Press ingredients into 9-inch buttered pie pan. Be sure and go up the sides.
Bake 10 minutes at 325°F.
Cool completely before adding ice-cream.

How easy is this? O.K. even easier: Soften a gallon of Rocky Road Ice Cream and add to your Chocolate Pie Crust. Refreeze for two hours.

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE: National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day!

Today is National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day!

Rocky Road Ice Cream was 'invented' in Oakland,  CA. One story goes that the Rocky Road ice cream flavor was created in March 1929 by William Dreyer in Oakland, CA. He cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream that reflected his partner Joseph Edy's chocolate candy that used walnuts and marshmallow pieces. Later the walnuts were replaced by toasted almonds. Fenton's Creamery in Oakland claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky-Road style ice cream flavor invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren, who blended his own Rocky Road-style candy bar into ice cream.  So however it came into existence, be sure and have a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream today... or make a Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie!

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
2 cups vanilla fudge swirl ice cream, softened
2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and divided
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped (or lightly salted peanuts)
*Chocolate Pie Crust (see recipe below) Prepare first**

Directions
In large bowl stir together ice cream, marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate, and toasted almonds or peanuts. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped chocolate.
Cover and freeze at least 2 hours or until firm.
Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Chocolate Pie Crust (good for lots of pies)
2 cups chocolate wafers (in a pinch use Oreos)
6 Tbsp butter

Directions
Melt butter.
Put chocolate wafers in plastic bag. Close bag and crush with spoon or rolling pin until you have tiny pea-sized chocolate bits. Or just whirl the cookies in a blender.
Combine melted butter with chocolate bits.
Press ingredients into 9-inch buttered pie pan. Be sure and go up the sides.
Bake 10 minutes at 325°F.
Cool completely before adding ice-cream.

How easy is this? O.K. even easier: Soften a gallon of Rocky Road Ice Cream and add to your Chocolate Pie Crust. Refreeze for two hours.

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE: National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day!

Today is National Rocky Road Day!

Rocky Road Ice Cream was 'invented' in Oakland,  CA, which makes it pretty special to me, since I live here. One story goes that the Rocky Road ice cream flavor was created in March 1929 by William Dreyer in Oakland, CA. He cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream that reflected his partner Joseph Edy's chocolate candy that used walnuts and marshmallow pieces. Later the walnuts were replaced by toasted almonds. Fenton's Creamery in Oakland claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky-Road style ice cream flavor invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren, who blended his own Rocky Road-style candy bar into ice cream.  So however it came into existence, be sure and have a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream today... or make a Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie!

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
2 cups vanilla fudge swirl ice cream, softened
2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and divided
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped (or lightly salted peanuts)
*Chocolate Pie Crust (see recipe below) Prepare first**

Directions
In large bowl stir together ice cream, marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate, and toasted almonds or peanuts. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped chocolate.
Cover and freeze at least 2 hours or until firm.
Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Chocolate Pie Crust (good for lots of pies)
2 cups chocolate wafers (in a pinch use Oreos)
6 Tbsp butter

Directions
Melt butter.
Put chocolate wafers in plastic bag. Close bag and crush with spoon or rolling pin until you have tiny pea-sized chocolate bits. Or just whirl the cookies in a blender.
Combine melted butter with chocolate bits.
Press ingredients into 9-inch buttered pie pan. Be sure and go up the sides.
Bake 10 minutes at 325°F.
Cool completely before adding ice-cream.

How easy is this? O.K. even easier. Soften a gallon of Rocky Road Ice Cream and add to your Chocolate Pie Crust. Refreeze for two hours.

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream without a Machine

So it's summertime here in the Northern hemisphere, and what's summer without ice cream?  Today is Soft Ice Cream Day, so why not celebrate by making your own? Don't have an ice cream maker? No problem. Here are two recipes that are easy and delicious. As always, your final product will only be as good as your ingredients, so use the BEST! Think these are  new recipes? Check out the Elsie the Cow recipe for Magic Chocolate Ice Cream at the end of this post!

1. Easy Chocolate Ice Cream without a Machine!

Ingredients 
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract

Directions
In medium bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Set aside.
In bowl of mixer, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form (do not over beat)
Fold sweetened milk mixture into whipped cream.
Pour into 2 quart container, cover, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Easy Rocky Road Ice Cream without a Machine!
You can use the recipe above and just add the nuts and marshmallows--it will have a softer consistency...or try this one.. To have plain Chocolate Ice Cream using the following recipe, just omit the nuts and marshmallows.

Ingredients
4 oz dark (70-75% cacao) chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or chopped roasted almonds)
1/2 cup mini-marshmallows

Directions
Combine chocolate and condensed milk in top of double boiler or saucepan over saucepan over simmering water. After chocolate has melted, take off stove and stir in vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool.
In large mixer bowl, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. When cream has stiffened, whip in 1/3 of chocolate mixture and fold in remaining chocolate. Then fold in nuts and mini-marshmallows.
Pour mixture into quart-sized plastic container with an air--tight lid. Freeze2 to 3 hours.
Eat the same day.

Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie for Rocky Road Ice Cream Day

Today is National Rocky Road Ice Cream Day!

Rocky Road Ice Cream was 'invented' in Oakland,  CA, which makes it pretty special to me, since I live here. One story goes that the Rocky Road ice cream flavor was created in March 1929 by William Dreyer in Oakland, CA. He cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream that reflected his partner Joseph Edy's chocolate candy that used walnuts and marshmallow pieces. Later the walnuts were replaced by toasted almonds. Fenton's Creamery in Oakland claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky-Road style ice cream flavor invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren, who blended his own Rocky Road-style candy bar into ice cream.  So however it came into existence, be sure and have a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream today... or make a Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie!

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
2 cups vanilla fudge swirl ice cream, softened
2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and divided
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped (or lightly salted peanuts)
*Chocolate Pie Crust (see recipe below) Prepare first**

Directions
In large bowl stir together ice cream, marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate, and toasted almonds or peanuts. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped chocolate.
Cover and freeze at least 2 hours or until firm.
Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Chocolate Pie Crust (good for lots of pies)
2 cups chocolate wafers (in a pinch use Oreos)
6 Tbsp butter

Directions
Melt butter.
Put chocolate wafers in plastic bag. Close bag and crush with spoon or rolling pin until you have tiny pea-sized chocolate bits. Or just whirl the cookies in a blender.
Combine melted butter with chocolate bits.
Press ingredients into 9-inch buttered pie pan. Be sure and go up the sides.
Bake 10 minutes at 325°F.
Cool completely before adding ice-cream.

How easy is this? O.K. even easier. Soften a gallon of Rocky Road Ice Cream and add to your Chocolate Pie Crust. Refreeze for two hours.

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream without a Machine

So it's summertime here in the Northern hemisphere, and what's summer without ice cream?  Today is Soft Ice Cream Day, so why not celebrate by making your own? Don't have an ice cream maker? No problem. Here are two recipes that are easy and delicious. As always, your final product will only be as good as your ingredients, so use the BEST! Think these are  new recipes? Check out the Elsie the Cow recipe for Magic Chocolate Ice Cream at the end of this post!

1. Easy Chocolate Ice Cream without a Machine!

Ingredients 
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract

Directions
In medium bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Set aside.
In bowl of mixer, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form (do not over beat)
Fold sweetened milk mixture into whipped cream.
Pour into 2 quart container, cover, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Easy Rocky Road Ice Cream without a Machine!
You can use the recipe above and just add the nuts and marshmallows--it will have a softer consistency...or try this one.. To have Chocolate Ice cream using the following recipe, just omit the nuts and marshmallows.

Ingredients
4 oz dark (70-75% cacao) chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or chopped roasted almonds)
1/2 cup mini-marshmallows

Directions
Combine chocolate and condensed milk in top of double boiler or saucepan over saucepan over simmering water. After chocolate has melted, take off stove and stir in vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool.
In large mixer bowl, add 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form. When cream has stiffened, whip in 1/3 of chocolate mixture and fold in remaining chocolate. Then fold in nuts and mini-marshmallows.
Pour mixture into quart-sized plastic container with an air--tight lid. Freeze2 to 3 hours.
Eat the same day.

Rocky Road Truffles: National Rocky Road Day!

Photo: California Walnuts

Today is Rocky Road Ice Cream Day! I'm a huge fan of Rocky Road Ice cream, and I've posted recipes for Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie, Rocky Road Ice Cream Sandwiches and others. But for today's holiday I thought I'd post this fun recipe the appeared on the California Walnuts site. Always good to go to food association sites for ideas and recipes.

And, personally I can never have too many truffle recipes. This recipe was created by Emily Luchetti, pastry chef at two of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco -- Farallon and Waterbar. She also has six excellent cookbooks. This is an easy recipe that I know you'll enjoy. If you're a purist, you can always have some Rocky Road Ice Cream to celebrate!

Rocky Road Ice Cream, by the way, was 'invented' in Oakland,  CA, which makes it pretty special to me, since I live in the Oakland/Berkeley area. One story goes that the Rocky Road ice cream flavor was created in March 1929 by William Dreyer in Oakland, CA. He cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream that reflected his partner Joseph Edy's chocolate candy that used walnuts and marshmallow pieces. Later the walnuts were replaced by toasted almonds. Fenton's Creamery in Oakland claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky-Road style ice cream flavor invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren, who blended his own Rocky Road-style candy bar into ice cream.  So however it came into existence, be sure and have a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream... or make some Rocky Road Truffles.

ROCKY ROAD TRUFFLES

Ingredients
6 Tbsp heavy cream
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup mini marshmallows cut in half (use scissors it’s much easier)
1/2 cup walnuts cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup milk chocolate chip or 1/4 inch pieces
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Directions
Warm cream in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbling around edges, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate. Swirl pan lightly so chocolate is covered by cream. Cover and let sit 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk occasionally until room temperature. Stir in marshmallows, walnuts and milk chocolate chips.

Spread chocolate cream in 9-inch pan or pie plate. Refrigerate until hard, at least 1 hour.

Form chocolate into balls using heaping teaspoon for each, placing them in single layer on pan.

Refrigerate until hard.

Place cocoa powder on plate or in small bowl. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

One at time, place chocolate balls in cocoa powder. Dust palms with cocoa powder and lightly roll the truffles between your palms until round. (The cocoa powder keeps them from sticking to your hands.) Roll in cocoa powder.

(If at any point the chocolate gets too warm and the truffles become difficult to roll, refrigerate the chocolate for 30 minutes until it firms up.)

Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie

Today is National Rocky Road ICE CREAM Day.

Rocky Road ice cream was 'invented' in Oakland,  CA, which makes it pretty special to me, since I live in the Oakland/Berkeley area.

One story goes that the Rocky Road ice cream flavor was created in March 1929 by William Dreyer in Oakland, CA. He cut up walnuts and marshmallows with his wife's sewing scissors and added them to his chocolate ice cream that reflected his partner Joseph Edy's chocolate candy that used walnuts and marshmallow pieces. Later the walnuts were replaced by toasted almonds.

Fenton's Creamery in Oakland claims that William Dreyer based his recipe on a Rocky-Road style ice cream flavor invented by his friend, Fentons' George Farren, who blended his own Rocky Road-style candy bar into ice cream. I still love going to Fenton's Creamery. It's an old fashioned ice-cream parlor.

However it came into existence, be sure and have a scoop of Rocky Road Ice Cream today... or make a Rocky Road Ice Cream Pie! Here's an easy recipe.

ROCKY ROAD ICE CREAM PIE

Ingredients
2 cups vanilla fudge swirl ice cream, softened
2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows
3/4 cup dark chocolate (45-70% cacao), chopped and divided
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped (or lightly salted peanuts)

*Chocolate Pie Crust (see recipe below) Prepare first**

Directions
1. In large bowl stir together ice cream, marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate and toasted almonds or peanuts. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped chocolate.
2. Cover and freeze at least 2 hours or until firm.
3. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Chocolate Pie Crust (good for lots of pies)
2 cups chocolate wafers (in a pinch use Oreos)
6 tbsp butter

Melt the butter.
Put the chocolate wafers in plastic bag. Close bag and crush with spoon or rolling pin until you have tiny pea-sized chocolate bits.
Combine melted butter with chocolate bits.
Press ingredients into 9-inch buttered pie pan. Be sure and go up sides.
Bake 10 minutes at 325°F.
Cool completely before adding ice-cream.

2. Another possibility is to make a chocolate crust and spoon in softened Rocky Road Ice Cream!! Cover and freeze.