Rocky road ice cream

If you can’t find mini-marshmallows, use the larger ones and snip them into smaller pieces with wet scissors.

* Makes about 1 3/4 pints

• 1/3 cup superfine sugar
• 2 cups whole milk, chilled
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 milk chocolate, broken up
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped and chilled
• 1 cup mini-marshmallows
• 1/2 cup mixed roughly chopped pecans and sliced almonds

Warm the sugar in a pan with half the milk, the cocoa powder, and the chocolate, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is completely dissolved and the mixture is well blended, set aside to cool completely.

When cooled, stir in the vanilla and the rest of the milk. Whisk this gradually into the whipped cream.
Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer’s directions. When almost frozen, tip the ice cream into a freezer container, and quickly stir in the marshmallows and nuts. If you do not have an ice cream maker, follow the hand-mixing method and stir in the marshmallows and nuts after whisking the ice cream for the last time. Freeze for 15 minutes before serving or until required.

Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks but take out 15 minutes before serving to soften.

Variations:

• Nut-free rocky road ice cream

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the nuts with 1/2 cup chopped dried fruits (such as apricots, candied ginger, or pineapple).

• Honeycomb rocky road ice cream

Replace all or half the marshmallows in the basic recipe with broken pieces of honeycomb candy.

• Rocky road toblerone ice cream

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the nuts with broken pieces of nutty dark chocolate Toblerone.

• Rainbow rocky road ice cream

Prepare the basic recipe but replace half the marshmallows and half the nuts with 1/2 cup M&Ms or any other multicolored candies.

• Really nutty rocky road ice cream

Add an extra 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds or chopped peanuts to the basic recipe.