When I was a child, our eldest sister always gave every family member a See’s Easter egg. I loved the ones filled with chocolate ganache and walnuts. My husband prefers rocky road flavors, so I adapted the idea into gluten free rocky road Easter eggs for him. These treats combine a crisp chocolate shell with a marshmallow-and-walnut rocky road center. They’re simple to assemble, though the chocolate needs time to fully set. They make thoughtful homemade Easter gifts—wrapped in tissue or boxed, they look and taste special.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours, 5 minutes (including chilling)
Yield: Makes 6 Easter eggs
A gluten free rocky road take on classic chocolate Easter eggs—walnuts, marshmallows and rich ganache inside a crisp chocolate shell.
Ingredients:
- 1 egg-shaped silicone mold (clean, dry and lint-free)
- 3 (4.4-ounce) King-size Hershey bars, each rectangular piece broken into 3 pieces (separate into two bars + one bar). For a dairy-free option use dairy-free chocolate bars or Enjoy Life minis.
- 1/2 recipe Gluten Free Chocolate Ganache* (or dairy-free ganache)
- 10–12 large gluten free marshmallows, each cut into quarters (plus a few smaller pieces as needed)
- 3/4 cup walnut pieces, mixed sizes
Instructions:
- Place the silicone egg mold on a half-sheet baking tray or similar-sized baking sheet to keep it stable while you work; set aside.
- In a clean, heatproof glass bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water, melt the pieces from two of the Hershey bars, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Working quickly, spoon and pour the melted chocolate into each egg cavity, then tilt and roll the mold so the chocolate coats the sides and bottom evenly. Use a small spatula or the back of a spoon to spread chocolate where needed. Scrape any excess chocolate from the bowl and smear it along the rim of each cavity so it drips down the sides and covers thin spots. Refrigerate the mold until the first chocolate layer is set.
- Prepare the ganache: melt chocolate morsels in a clean heatproof bowl over simmering water. Warm the cream separately and pour it into the melted chocolate with the vanilla; stir until smooth. Remove from heat and chill briefly until the ganache thickens slightly but is still pourable.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the ganache into each chocolate-lined mold. Add a generous amount of the chopped marshmallows and walnut pieces. Cover the fillings with more ganache so they are nearly level with the top—leave about 1/8-inch of space from the rim for the final chocolate seal. Return the mold to the refrigerator and chill until the filling is firm, at least 1 hour.
- Melt the remaining Hershey bar pieces in a clean heatproof bowl over simmering water. Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread this melted chocolate over each filled cavity, sealing the egg and encasing the ganache filling. Return to the refrigerator and chill until completely set—this can take several hours or overnight for best results. After chilling for about an hour you can carefully remove the eggs from the mold. Wear gloves or handle with plastic wrap to avoid fingerprints when wrapping or packaging.
Tips and Notes
Ganache note: a basic ganache is made by pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate, letting it sit for a minute, then stirring until smooth. Adjust cream ratio to achieve a thicker or thinner ganache: use slightly less cream for milk chocolate and slightly more for dark chocolate.
Substitutions: Use dairy-free chocolate and coconut cream or another non-dairy cream for a dairy-free version. If you prefer fewer marshmallows, omit some or use mini marshmallows for a finer texture.
Tips for success:
– Work with dry, clean molds and dry hands so chocolate sets smoothly.
– If you need to speed setting, use the refrigerator for short stints and then finish in the fridge overnight for a fully set center.
– To remove eggs cleanly, flex the silicone mold gently and ease the egg out starting from the rim.
Storage and gifting: Store finished eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For gifting, allow the eggs to come to cool room temperature briefly before wrapping to avoid condensation inside packaging.
Quick microwave option: If you prefer, melt chocolate chips in short bursts in the microwave (20–30 seconds), stirring between bursts until smooth. Use caution not to overheat.