Lemon Meringue Rocky Road

Name: Lemon Meringue Rocky Road
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 260 min
Ingredients: 50 g Digestive biscuits; 150 g Lemon shortbread ((or sub for more digestive biscuits)); 80 g White mini marshmallows; 60 g Meringue nests, roughly crushed ((about 5 nests) ); 500 g White chocolate; 4 Teaspoons Lemon extract; 200 g White chocolate; 3 Teaspoons Lemon curd; 16 Jelly lemon slices ((or any other lemon sweets you like)); Small Handful Marshmallows, meringue pieces and/or biscuit crumbs

Jump to Recipe

If you like lemon meringue pie then you're going to LOVE this lemon meringue rocky road! It's sweet, crunchy and chewy, and a great no-bake dessert for summer events! It's super easy to make and comes together with just a few simple ingredients and only 20 minutes of prep time!

close up of a slice of lemon meringue rocky road

If you've ever read my blog before, you'll know I LOVE me a good rocky road recipe! I've made quite a variety of flavours over the past year or so, including Kinder Bueno, Mint Aero, Bounty and Rolo, but I thought my collection could do with the addition of a nice summery flavour. So, say hello to my lemon meringue rocky road! This was a massive hit in the ECB household and it was all gone in just a few short hours!

It's sweet, light, crunchy and chewy, and it tastes just like lemon meringue pie. It's the perfect Easter traybake and is also ideal for summer birthday parties, a cute edible gift, BBQs or bake sales. Whatever the occasion, I can promise you that it's going to be gobbled up quickly!

If you're ready to get started, you can either jump to the recipe card at the end of this post, or keep on reading for detailed notes and step-by-step instructions. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Biscuits: I used a mix of lemon shortbread and digestives. I loved the extra flavour that the lemon biscuits added but they did make the rocky road very sweet. If you prefer your desserts a little less sweet, use digestive biscuits only. Alternatively, you can use something like gingernut biscuits- they'll pair nicely with the lemon flavour and also help to cut through the sweetness a bit.
Marshmallows: I used white ones to give this rocky road that classic lemon meringue look, but you can use any colour that you want- the taste will be the same!
Meringue nests: The star of the show! You can use meringue nests or mini meringues, crushed up into medium-sized pieces. Don't crush them too finely or they will dissolve into the chocolate.
White chocolate: The sweet, creamy base that holds this lemon rocky road together. Any type of white chocolate will work, and actually the cheaper ones might be better because the weaker flavour will allow the lemon to shine through more.
Lemon extract: I used 4 teaspoons but you can taste as you go, adding more if you want a stronger flavour. You can also add a pinch of fresh lemon zest to enhance the flavour even more.
Lemon curd: This is optional but I swirled some lemon curd into the white chocolate topping. It adds some extra zesty flavour and a nice pop of colour.
Jelly lemon slices: To decorate my rocky road, I used jelly lemon slices, which are usually used for cake decorating. I got mine from Amazon but if you don't want to use them, you can use yellow cake sprinkles, lemon zest, crushed lemon sweets, or any other yellow edible decoration you like.

Equipment

8x8-inch tin: This is the size of tin I always use when I make rocky road. If your tin size is larger, you can use my cake pan converter tool to adjust the ingredient quantities.
Baking paper: To stop the chocolate from getting stuck to the tin.
Mixing bowls: A large one for mixing and a smaller heatproof one for melting the chocolate in (you can also use a saucepan for melting if you prefer).
Utensils: A wooden spoon for mixing everything together, a toothpick (or butter knife) for swirling the lemon curd into the chocolate, and a sharp knife for cutting the finished rocky road.

overhead image of lemon rocky road with meringue pieces around

How to make lemon meringue rocky road step-by-step

Step 1: Start by lining an 8x8-inch tin with baking paper. Try to get it all the way over the edges to prevent the chocolate from sticking to the tin.

Step 2: Add 150g of lemon shortbread and 50g of digestive biscuits to a large bowl. Use your hands to crush them into medium-sized chunks.

Step 3: Add 80g of mini marshmallows and 5 roughly crushed meringue nests to the bowl. Give it a quick mix to combine everything.

dry ingredients mixed together in a bowl

Step 4: Melt 500g of white chocolate in the microwave or over low heat on the stove. If you're using the microwave, take it out and stir it every 20 seconds to prevent burning or seizing. Once the chocolate is fully melted, stir in 4 teaspoons of lemon extract.

Step 5: Pour the lemon chocolate into the bowl with your dry ingredients. Mix well until everything is evenly coated.

Step 6: Transfer the mixture into your lined tin and press it firmly into place. I like to use the bottom of a cup or glass to press it down, to ensure it's packed in tightly.

Step 7: Melt 200g more white chocolate and carefully spread it over the top of your rocky road.

Step 8: While the chocolate topping is still wet, add small blobs of lemon curd on top (about 3 teaspoons total). Then use a toothpick or butterknife to swirl it into the melted chocolate, to create a marbled pattern.

swirling lemon curd into the white chocolate

Step 9: Top with lemon jelly slices, more marshmallows, meringue pieces and biscuit crumbs.

Step 10: Refrigerate your rocky road for 4 hours, then remove it from the tin, cut it into squares and enjoy! I usually cut mine into 16 squares but you can make yours bigger or smaller if you like.

Top Tips

If you want your rocky road to be less sweet, swap the lemon shortbread for gingernut biscuits or more digestive biscuits.
Don't crush the biscuits or meringues too finely or they'll dissolve into the chocolate and mess up your lemon rocky road texture. It's best to crush them into medium-sized chunks.
When melting the white chocolate, do it slowly over a low heat or in short bursts in the microwave. White chocolate can be a bit finicky and it burns more easily than milk or dark chocolate.
Warm your knife up before cutting your rocky road! This will help you get neat slices and prevent breakage. To warm your knife, run it under boiling water and carefully wipe it dry before slicing.
Other decoration ideas include candied lemon peel, lemon zest, crushed lemon sherbet sweets or lemon bonbons, yellow sprinkles or even edible flowers!

FAQs

How long does lemon meringue rocky road last?

If you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge, it will last for about 5 days. If you don't add any meringue or biscuit pieces on top, you can stretch it out to about a week.

Can I use lemon juice instead of lemon extract?

Nope! Lemon juice will cause the chocolate to seize and won't make much difference to the flavour, whereas lemon extract goes in smoothly. If you don't have lemon extract, you can use 2-3 tablespoons of lemon zest, to taste.

Can I freeze rocky road?

Yes, lemon rocky road can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. As with storing it in the fridge, it's best not to add any meringue pieces or biscuit crumbs on top as they can become soggy when defrosting. When you're ready to eat it, transfer it to the fridge overnight to thaw or let it sit out at room temperature for an hour or two. Do not refreeze.

squares of lemon meringue rocky road on a white worktop

More lemon desserts

I hope you like my lemon meringue rocky road recipe! If you make it at home, please leave a comment or rating below to let me know what you think. Enjoy!