Easy Chocolate Tiffin Recipe

When craving something sweet, I don’t always want to turn on the oven and wait for it to bake; that’s why this easy chocolate tiffin recipe is great! It’s a classic no-bake chocolate biscuit cake and it only takes about 10 minutes to throw together before the fridge does all the work. If you’re a fan of easy traybakes, the Best Flapjacks Recipe is another one worth making!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Easy steps: This easy chocolate tiffin recipe only requires four steps, from prep to ready-to-eat tiffin cake. The ingredients are also so easy to find at the supermarket – you may even already have it all in your pantry from making this Mini Egg Cheesecake.
• Make-ahead: Tiffin recipes are a favourite make-ahead dessert for special occasions or even a treat during the week. Like this Easy Nutella Puff Pastry, you can freeze tiffin bars after they are set and then defrost them as needed.
• So delicious: This recipe for tiffin is a quick way to satisfy your sweet tooth. I’ve even snuck raisins into the recipe for an added fibre boost!

Here’s some more deserts you can try: Simple & Easy Brownies, Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats and Chocolate Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter.

Ingredients

• Salted Butter: Salted butter is a great way to bring out the sweetness of the chocolate in this tiffin recipe. You can also use unsalted butter, though it will slightly change the flavour of this tiffin recipe.
• Plain Chocolate: You can use any cocoa solids, as long as they are around 50-60% for that classic tiffin taste. You can use some of it to make this Giant Chocolate Cornflake Cake as well!
• Digestive Biscuits: Using digestive biscuits is another excellent way to increase the fibre content of this easy tiffin recipe. If you’re in the US, graham crackers work too. Some people also swear by Rich Tea biscuits for a slightly lighter crumb – I’ve tried both and honestly, digestives win every time.
• Milk Chocolate: Using milk chocolate as a drizzle on top of the tiffin dessert will help add a touch more sweetness. You can also use dark chocolate if you prefer the flavour.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations/ Adaptations

• Vegan: Like most desserts, this tiffin tray bake is already vegetarian, but a few ingredient swaps will help you turn this into a delicious vegan dessert. Use vegan or non-dairy butter instead of salted butter and ensure the milk chocolate and cocoa solids are vegan. Use a 1:1 ratio for each swap in this tiffin recipe.
• Gluten-free: Swap the digestive biscuits in this chocolate tiffin fridge cake for your favourite gluten-free biscuits. Most supermarkets stock a good own-brand version! These Chocolate Protein Muffins can also be made gluten-free and are so delicious!
• Different biscuits: Digestives are classic but ginger nuts are my favourite twist for the best tiffin recipe. They add a bit of warmth that works really well with the chocolate.

How to make Chocolate Tiffin Cake

1. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted (Image 1).
2. Stir in the sugar, then add the chocolate and stir over a very low heat until melted and the mixture is smooth (Image 2).

3. Melt the chocolate in the pan (Image 3).

4. Add the raisins to the pan, then take 3-4 biscuits at a time and break them between your fingers into small chunks as you add them to the pan (Image 4).

5. Stir well until all the biscuits are coated in chocolate and line a 20cm shallow square tin with baking paper, then add the mixture and press it down as flat and smooth as you can. (Image 5).

6. Leave to set in the fridge for a couple of hours (or freeze for 20 minutes). (Image 6).

7. To make the topping, melt the milk chocolate with the oil in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (or in the microwave in 30 second bursts) then spread over the tiffin. (Image 7).

8. Leave to set again before cutting into squares. (Image 8).

Some favourite recipes of mine using chocolate chips are these Chocolate Chip Baked Oats and Chocolate Chip Microwave Cookies.

What is Tiffin Cake?

If you’ve never come across it before, tiffin cake is a classic no-bake traybake made with crushed biscuits, butter, sugar, and chocolate. It’s sometimes called fridge cake or chocolate concrete, and it’s been a staple in Scottish cafes for decades.

The big question people always ask: is tiffin the same as Rocky Road? Not quite. Tiffin uses a butter and cocoa base to bind everything together, while Rocky Road is made with melted chocolate and usually has marshmallows in the mix, like my Easter Rocky Road. Both are delicious, but tiffin has that slightly more fudgy, dense bite that I think is just better.

You’ll also sometimes see it called chocolate tiffin bars, tiffin bar, or even tiffin chocolate – whatever you call it, it’s the same glorious thing!

Serving Suggestions

These chocolate tiffin bars are great just as they are with a cup of tea or coffee, that’s honestly how I eat them 90% of the time! If you’re serving them as a tiffin dessert at a dinner party or gathering, a small scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside could work beautifully.

Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions

Refrigerator: Store any leftover tiffin in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I actually think it tastes even better on day two once everything has really set and the flavours have had time to come together.

Freezer: If you want to freeze it, wrap the whole slab (unsliced) in two layers of cling film and pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, take it out and let it defrost in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours, then slice into squares. Freezing individual squares also works if you want to grab one at a time, and they defrost in about 30-40 minutes at room temperature.

Reheat: There’s no reheating needed, so just grab a square straight from the fridge!

FAQs

Other sweet recipes you should try: Nutella Blended Baked Oats, Quick Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and Kinder Bueno Chocolate Mug Cake,