Living without a stove top or an oven really makes you think about survival skills.
Cavemen and cavewomen had been doing this for years hunting, gathering firewood and cooking their food over an open fire but we are, after all, living in the 21st century. Well that was until we moved to Hong Kong....
With hungry teenage boys gathering and stalking me in the kitchen I had to respond fast and get inventive with the remaining working appliances. I rarely use the microwave other than to reheat my coffee or maybe reheat leftovers. However, the simple little microwave has so many hidden potentials.
My boys have been begging me to make this dessert in Nigella Lawson's cookbook called Rocky Road Crunch Bars. Nigella is just pure genius for getting delicious food on the table is a fast and simple way. I love her style and I found a way to make her process for making this dish even simpler in the microwave.
I must warn you right now these snowy chocolate bombs are addictive. As you take your first bite into the rich dark chocolate with crunchy biscuits and chewy marshmallows dusted with a light powdered sugar there is no going back. You will be hooked and they little snowy chocolate bombs will call out to you from the refrigerator. Have you ever watched any of Nigella Lawson's episodes on food TV where she gets up in the middle of the night to enjoy a little snack? I was caught red-handed in the act with powdered sugar on my nose and chocolate on my lips as one of my teenagers was on his way to the kitchen to get one or two of these little snowy chocolate bombs for himself. With a mouthful of moorish chocolate, I told him I was just getting up to get a glass of milk (to wash down my dessert- wink wink).
This is a great little bar or cookie dessert to make this holiday season. Snowy Chocolate bombs freeze well and took me less than 5 minutes to make. It is just completely and utterly crazy that something so simple to make can taste this decadent. Don't take my word for it, give it a go. Keep on reading to find out how to make this 5 minute snowy chocolate bomb wonder.
Snowy Chocolate Bombs
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's Rocky Road Crunch Bars in her book Nigella Express
Makes 24 squares or feeds 2 hungry teenagers
- 125 grams soft butter
- 300 grams of really good quality chocolate broken into pieces (at least 70% cocoa solids)
- 45 ml of golden syrup (I used Mrs. Butterworth's pancake syrup)
- 200 grams digestive biscuits (used the chocolate coated biscuits from Marc and Spencers but any kind of rich buttery tea biscuit will do)
- 100 grams of mini marshmallows
- spray oil
- 2-3 teaspoons of icing sugar for garnishing
Step 1: In a microwave safe bowl add butter and chocolate and place in microwave in 15 second intervals, check on it and stir. Avoid all moisture as this will cause you chocolate to seize up. If your microwave has the option of cooking at 50% reduced heat, this is preferred. If your microwave does not have a turn table then set for short time intervals like 15 seconds and turn your bowl and stir and repeat process just until almost all of the chocolate starts to melt. The container that you heat your chocolate in still holds heat and will continue to melt the chocolate after you take it out of the microwave. This whole process took me less than 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add the golden syrup to the chocolate mixture and stir well. Take out about half of the chocolate mixture (about 125ml) and set aside for later use.
Step 4: Put your digestive biscuit (cookies) in a sealable zipper bag and just give it a few bashes with a spatula or your rolling-pin so that you have some big and little bits. (Do not pulverize the digestive biscuits as you want those crispy chunk texture when you bite into the bar)
Step 5: Fold the digestive biscuit crumbs and marshmallows into the chocolate mixture.
Step 6: Spray non stick cooking oil into about a 24 inch square pan. Pour the delicious chocolate biscuit and marshmallow mixture into the pan and try to flatten it out best you can with a spatula. Pour the remaining 125 ml of melted chocolate on top. (lick your chocolate fingers)
Step 7: Pop your Snowy chocolate bombs in the refrigerator and try to forget about the chocolate goodness for at least 2 hours or overnight while it has a chance to set up. (Write your letter to Santa, Busy your self with writing holiday cards, putting up decorations, getting some of that holiday shopping done, or maybe just pour your self of hot cocoa or something a little stronger and take some time to reflect)
Step 8: When you absolutely cannot stand the wait any longer, take the Chocolate bomb bars out of the refrigerator and dust with snow (icing sugar) and cut into about 24 bars.
Step 9: Enjoy these decadent little no fuss Snowy Chocolate Bombs during this holiday season or any time of the year when you want someone to feel special and happy.
Ingredients
- Chocolate -
- marshmallows -
- digestive biscuits -
- golden syrup -
- butter -
Jayne says
I've seen Nigella making this on video! It's so gorgeous. We call it "biskut batik" here in Malaysia, without the marshmallows because the biscuit and chocolate layers into a pattern that resembles batik. Thumbs up!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks Jayne for stopping by and look forward to keeping in touch. I am very interested in learning more Malaysian cuisine as it is so diverse and I have access to many of the ingredients living here in HK. Take care, BAM
createengwp says
It's one of those dishes where every bite is just as good and/or gets better than the first one. Simply irresistible!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Indeed! It really is addictive and hard to avoid those middle of the night adventures to have a little taste. Take care, BAM
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Never heard of this kind of delicious dessert but now I'm glad to find it and it's made by microwave? Wow, great recipe Bam!
Healthy World Cuisine says
You have to love Nigella Lawson. I just simplified her recipe by making it all in the microwave and a few other adaptations. Take care, BAM
dianeskitchentable says
These are definitely 'the bomb'!!! I have to give you credit for coming up with something for those boys without a working stove - is there any hope for it? You really should do something about that sleep walking problem though 😉
Hopefully I can make these without any explosions in my microwave - wish me luck.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Ohh Diane you are so funny. I think you will be alright as there is not any coconut to explode in your microwave but then you never can be too sure... My oven and stove top are now fixed. It took about 5 or 6 visits and ended up be an electronic issue that they just could not figure out. So bring on the holiday baking! Woo Hoo!
dianeskitchentable says
Wow, only 5 or 6 visits. I think at that point I would have given up & turned it into storage or maybe a terrarium. I thought most appliances nowadays are just a matter of replacing panels (at least that was the deal w/my washer), but then again I'm not Mr. Maytag. Your boys must be thrilled.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Diane, this is just part of the excitement of living in China. "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get." The holiday baking starts this weekend and my boys are beyond thrilled. Have a super weekend! BAM
Lisa says
These snowy chocolate bombs are literally the bomb! Talk about the perfect, decadent holiday treat! Coookies and marshmallows..yum! (and I try not touse that word, but it's so apropos here!) Sorry I haven't been around.,..a lot going on after the storm..plus work and other things. I have so much catching up to do!
ioanna aggelidaki says
OMG they look soooooo good..............
dragonlife says
Dear Friend!
If people were only using such bombs!
Thank you so much for that message of sheer happy gastronomy!
Best regards,
Robert-Gilels
Healthy World Cuisine says
Bonjour Robert, thanks so much for stopping by. Looking forward to keeping in touch. Take care, BAM
ChopinandMysaucepan says
Dear BAM,
Love the name snowy chocolate bombs and they do look very addictive too! I have also never attempted to cook anything major with the microwave and would prefer conventional cooking on a cooktop, grill or oven 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks and I also feel that using the microwave is so retro almost like TV dinners.... However in a pinch they work like a charm. Take Care, BAM
[email protected] Chef in disguise says
My mum used to make something very similar for us when we were kids but with digestive only, no marshmellow...My daughter "who is in love with marshmellow" will be over the moon if I made these!
Healthy World Cuisine says
I am so glad. This is a dessert that the kids can help you out with in the kitchen. It is a pretty kid friendly friendly recipe. Take care and sending some positive thoughts your way. BAM
[email protected] at Marina says
That's how I feel now: my kitchen is so little that I am quickly becoming one of creative cooks... 🙂 Those bombs would definitely fascinate my teenager too! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thank you Marina. Keeping our teenagers full and happy is becoming a full time job for me. They are bottomless pits.
Heather @ SugarDish(Me) says
This is why I hide the cook books from my boys. I'd never escape the kitchen!!! These look amazing. I'm excited to try these!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Good thinking! Hide the evidence and claim that you can't find the ingredients in the continent we are living on. However, my boys still wont let me out of the kitchen... Take Care, BAM
Hannah (BitterSweet) says
You're unstoppable, Bam! Even with a full kitchen on the fritz, you managed to pull of some seriously delicious treats. These look like they would make the perfect addition to any holiday cookie platter.
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks Hannah. I heard that maybe this week that my appliances might get fixed but I am not holding my breath. Take Care, BAM