Rocky Road Crunch Bars Separating

Our answer

Nigella's Rocky Road Crunch Bars (from NIGELLA EXPRESS) are a mixture of melted chocolate, butter and golden syrup mixed with crushed cookies and mini marshmallows. The mixture is then set in the fridge. We suspect that the chocolate, butter and golden syrup mixture is being heated too much. When this happens the chocolate seizes and and the fat splits away from the chocolate solids, giving a separated fat layer on the bars.

Chocolate melts at just above body temperature so only a very gentle heat is needed and it may help to have the butter at room temperature to make sure that you don't have to turn the heat too high to melt the butter. You may prefer to put the ingredients in a heatproof bowl that is set over a saucepan of hot water as this gives a gentler heat. But don't let the bowl touch the water and make sure that the bowl fits snugly over the saucepan so that steam can't get into the mixture. With either method stir the mixture gently once the butter and chocolate start to melt and remove the bowl or saucepan from the heat while there are still a few lumps of unmelted chocolate. These small lumps will melt as the mixture stands and will reduce the risk of the chocolate overheating.