Why you should try this dessert 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 delicious tiffin recipe is great! You don’t need to bake a tiffin. Instead, it sets in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Then, you can add the finishing touches and grab a square of chocolate tiffin!

This easy chocolate tiffin recipe only requires four steps, from prep to ready-to-eat tiffin cake. Plus, the ingredients are easy to find at the supermarket. Though, you may already have all the ingredients in your pantry.

Tiffin recipes are a favourite make-ahead dessert for special occasions or even a treat during the week. You can freeze tiffin bars after they are set and then defrost them as needed. 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!

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.

Caster Sugar

Caster sugar is best for this tiffin cake recipe, since it will not create a gritty texture when you bite into a tiffin bar. Golden syrup is another excellent alternative if you don’t have caster sugar on hand.

Plain Chocolate

You can use any cocoa solids, as long as they are around 50-60%.

Raisins

I love adding raisins to make this tiffin tray more nutritious. Raisins add a good amount of fibre to any recipe.

Digestive Biscuits

Using digestive biscuits is another excellent way to increase the fibre content of this easy tiffin recipe.  Rich tea biscuits will also suffice, though they won’t have the same amount of fibre.

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.

Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil or coconut oil works with this recipe, as you’ll only be using a small amount to help make the melted chocolate easier to cut later.

How to make Tiffin Cake

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

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

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 and leave to set again before cutting into squares.

Adaptations

Vegetarian

Like most desserts, this tiffin tray bake is already vegetarian. So, no need to make any swaps for this variation.

Vegan

A few ingredient swaps will help you turn this chocolate tiffin fridge cake 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.

A quick note, the original digestive biscuits are typically vegan. Ensure you double-check the ingredients and avoid the options dipped in chocolate, as they typically include dairy.

Tips and tricks for the best result

While learning how to make tiffin, implement these tips and tricks to help you make the best bars every time!

Avoid fully crushing the digestive biscuits

If you leave some slightly larger bits of digestive biscuits, you’ll have an even better dessert. These unevenly crushed biscuits help keep the texture fun as you bite into the bars.

Allow the bars to be fully set

It can be challenging to wait for this tiffin recipe to set in the fridge, as it will look delicious when put together. However, this is one of the most important steps. If you don’t allow the bars to set, they will be challenging to slice through.

Slice tiffin at room temperature

After allowing the bars to set, bring them out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature before slicing. By allowing the temperature to rise slightly, they will be much easier to cut. As a bonus, this tip also helps you to avoid cracking the top chocolate layer while slicing the bars.

Dust with cocoa powder

While not necessary, you can add a dusting of cocoa powder to the top for an even prettier presentation. Use this tip to impress guests when serving the bars.

Storage

Can I refrigerate this tiffin recipe?

Yes! You can refrigerate any leftovers you have for this recipe. Ensure you put the leftovers in an airtight container first. Then, you can keep the bars in the fridge for up to a week.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes! If you know you won’t be able to eat the remaining tiffins, you can freeze them for up to three months. Instead of slicing the dessert into individual squares, leave the tiffin bar whole. Wrap it in two layers of cling film, then place it in your freezer.

When ready to serve the bars, you can remove them from the freezer to thaw. It takes about six hours for the tiffin to defrost. Then, slice it into pieces, and the tiffin squares are ready to eat!