I made homemade rocky road that’s packed with protein

Getting protein into my diet can be a challenge, with fish being quite pricey and the rest of my vegetarian diet being devoid of the nutrients I need.

So I have to be clever and try another way to circumvent the dwindling level of protein in my body.

Dessert and snacks are the way forward. Being labelled as ‘healthy’ can be off-putting, but when you make them yourself, you know exactly what’s going into them.

I saw a recipe by fitness influencer @ellafoodandfitness on TikTok, who revealed her take on a high protein rocky road, a perfect snack with a cuppa.

Instead of all the extra sugars, Ella swapped out melted chocolate for a chocolate protein pudding base.

I have to admit protein puddings are not part of my usual diet, but I’ll try anything once.

Not too dissimilar from a yogurt, I used the Brooklea Chocolate Flavour Protein Pudding from Aldi, which boasts 20 grams of protein per pot. Result.

They’re thick enough to hold their own, along with some crushed knock-off Biscoff biscuits, mini marshmallows, and a small addition of chopped dark chocolate. Ella’s recipe is also minimum fuss; knocked up in a mixing bowl, and then frozen. It couldn’t be easier.

It makes for a great snack, don’t underestimate it, however, if you’re particular about your texture, pudding may not be the right base for you. Even when frozen the pudding’s consistency is slightly mushy as it dissipates on the tongue.

I’m sceptical about whether pudding is the correct choice, as it needs something thicker like a yogurt to really feel like you’re eating proper chocolate. You’ve also got to make sure you have a casserole dish in the correct size.

One false move and your rocky road will end up too thin, or so thick that it won’t freeze properly. The recipe would also benefit from a more diverse range of texture.

The two crushed biscuits in the mixture are completely swallowed up by the smooth, squishy and soft pudding and marshmallows. I’d recommend either a Digestive biscuit or a Rich Tea, they’ll add a real bite to the rocky road, which I feel this misses.

Another addition to make the snack even better are nuts and raisins. Usually you’d find raisins in shop-bought rocky roads, they can add another element of crunch, but also a tang from the fruit.

Nuts that are high in protein can be anything from almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, and pistachios. High protein snacks don’t have to be devoid of flavour, it’s all about having the knowledge which treats can help you hit your nutrition goals.