Rocky Road Bars

(Nigella Express)

When I started this project I spent a happy couple of hours marking up all the recipes I wanted to include with some nifty mini post-its. Yellow for the ones I have already made, white for the ones I plan to make, with brief notes where relevant.

The white post-it on the Rocky Road page reads "for Sam". My very first request - and as we're off to Sam's for dinner, I have the perfect excuse to oblige.

One of Nigella's tips is that a lovely box of something sweet and home-made is the perfect gift - and looking at the carton of rich, chocolately deliciousness I think she's absolutely right (though perhaps I should wait and see what the recipient says..!)

It's quick, it's easy and in terms of licking-out-the-bowl-ness scores a perfect 10.

I must admit to one deviation: in my book chocolate refrigerator cake - for that is basically what it is - is digestives every time. I'm sure using Rich Tea, as suggested, would have been equally tasty but hey - I'm a traditionalist at heart...

One purely self-inflicted hiccup. Forgot to turn off the gas when the chocolate had melted so when I added the mini marshmallows they essentially melted too. Whoops. Taste-wise I don't think it's a disaster. But it did mean missing out on the pink and white pockets of gooeyness - at least I'll know for next time. To compensate I threw in a handful of raisins - not strictly (or even loosely) part of the recipe but nice nonetheless.

Now I've found somewhere local to buy perfect-sized pretty cartons I'll definitely give it another go. So should you fancy trying it you'd better invite me for dinner...