Rocky road chocolate cake wreath

Rocky road devotees will adore this cheery-looking Christmas wreath adaptation of the treat.

Taste.com.au

Photography by Andrew Young

• Ingredients

• 75g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2/3 cup (160ml) water
• 100g butter, chopped
• 3/4 cup (155g) brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup (100g) self-raising flour
• 1/3 cup (40g) almond meal
• 2 tablespoons Dutch cocoa powder

Rocky road

• 50g milk chocolate, chopped
• 100g pink and white marshmallows, halved
• 1 x 80g cherry ripe bar, coarsely chopped
• 1 x 55g chocolate coated Turkish delight bar, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup (45g) glace red cherries
• 2 tablespoons toasted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon shredded coconut

Chocolate ganache

• 100g dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) pure cream

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm ring pan with baking paper.
2. Step 2
   Combine the chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Step 3
   Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the flour, almond meal, cococa and chocolate mixture and stir until well combined.
4. Step 4
   Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Step 5
   To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Place the cream in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir with a metal spoon until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
6. Step 6
   Place cake on a wire rack over an oven tray. Drizzle ganache evenly over cake and set aside for 30 minutes to set.
7. Step 7
   Place the milk chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water for 3-5 minutes or until chocolate melts. Transfer to a small plastic bag. Arrange the marshmallows, cherry ripe, Turkish delight, and peanuts over the cake. Sprinkle with coconut. Use scissors to snip the end of the plastic bag and drizzle chocolate over the marshmallow mixture. Set aside for 30 minutes to set.
   Taste.com.au - October 2012
   Recipe by Sarah Hobbs