Homemade Rocky Road Ice Blended

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has a couple of new drinks out this summer, including a Birthday Cake Ice Blended in honor of their 50th anniversary and a Rocky Road Ice Blended. Since rocky road is one of my favorite ice cream flavors, I knew that I had to give that one a try as soon as I heard about it. The in-store version of the drink was on-target. It tasted like rocky road ice cream and even had a note of walnut in it, although the drink itself didn’t have pieces of walnut or marshmallow like the ice cream does. It also had a nice coffee note that made it taste like an ice blended and not melted ice cream.

I was tempted to put ice cream into this Homemade Rocky Road Ice Blended, but wanted to make sure it stayed an ice blended drink and didn’t turn into a milkshake. It’s actually simple to make: a mocha ice blended with walnuts added to it. The walnuts add a nice nuttiness and blend up very finely in the drink, so you don’t get chunks of nut. It’s a little more refreshing than a milkshake (thanks to the coffee!) but it captures the essence of the ice cream flavor. I garnished mine with a marshmallow, but whipped cream would do the trick, too.

Homemade Rocky Road Ice Blended
6 oz strong, cold coffee
6 oz milk
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp walnuts
approx 2 cups ice cubes
marshmallows, for garnish

In a blender, combine coffee, milk, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla, walnuts and ice. Process at low speed until ice is crushed, then turn speed up to high and blend until very smooth.
Pour into a large glass and garnish with a marshmallow.

Makes 1 large drink.