Growing up in Australia, my grandmother would make my brother a jar of White Christmas every year. I think at one point he must have mentioned he really liked it, so as it usually goes, she made it for him every year going forward. Well, I too LOVED that White Christmas and thank goodness it had to live in the fridge, because I was at that jar helping myself to it at any given opportunity. Now, those of you from Australia will probably appreciate the irony in us having a traditional Christmas food called White Christmas, considering Christmas is in the middle of our blazing hot Summers! Clearly this was a tradition passed down from our ancestors...
So what is White Christmas, it is a dessert slice that is traditionally made from Copha which is a hardened vegetable shortening (which surprisingly is not something readily available in America) rice bubbles, desiccated coconut, red glazed cherries and sweetened condensed milk. This recipe could change with the household and I believe each family probably has their own "secret" recipe.
When we moved to America I was wanting to do something for the Kwirky Kids at Christmas that carried on one of my own traditions, however couldn't find Copha...so one must adapt and when in doubt, go with White Chocolate! It was then a new recipe and tradition was born into our house.
This recipe then continued to adapt over time and became almost a combination of Rocky Road and White Christmas, it just continued to keep evolving. What is really great about this particular recipe is that I can adapt it to whatever celebration or holiday it is at the time. So for instance, at Halloween I add in orange and purple melts, with candy corn and candy googly eyes, for a unicorn party I have added glitter and pop rocks into the mix and for Christmas I do try and keep it as close as I can to looking like what White Christmas Slice look liked when I was growing up. For today, it was just about what I had in the cupboard and something that resembled Summer. I suppose I should come up with a new name for it, as it isn't really White Christmas anymore!!
The truth be told, I much prefer the White Chocolate version I do now, but that is just between us.
This is a great, cheap and easy recipe to add to any Candy Table or celebration! It is also a non-baked recipe and can be made days in advance, so super helpful.
Below is the base recipe, but then I add in what I like or take out what I don't have at the time, so feel free to change up the colors and additions to suit your situation. Get crazy and try whatever you like in there...but make sure you let me know if you discover something spectacular, because then I will want to try it!!
White Christmas Down Under - aka Rocky Roadish Recipe.
2 x 340g bags of White Chocolate melted (try and use a good quality chocolate)
1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
1/2 cup of crushed Heath bars (english toffee)
1/2 cup of cut up Australian Raspberry Licorice (any kind of raspberry, strawberry jelly type lolly/candy will do). I find that raspberry licorice holds well in it.
1 cup of mini marshmallows.
In a long baking dish, mix all ingredients in together until evenly spread.
Then put in the fridge until hardened. Once hardened, remove from fridge and cut into edible squares or bits.
You can add more melted chocolate if you prefer or if you like it chunkier, add more special extras.
Easiest Recipe Ever!!
Happy Non-Baking!
Where Style and Flair, meet Good Taste!
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