Scottish tiffin recipe that is soft and chocolatey, slices cleanly, and melts in your mouth.
Tiffin Recipe Snapshot
What it is: No-bake chocolate slice that is soft and chocolatey with pieces of crushed biscuits inside.
Why you'll love it: Super easy treat that is quick to make, has a deep chocolate flavor, and transports well for packed lunches.
How to make it: Melt the ingredients together until smooth, then mix in the crushed biscuits, press into a tin, and chill.
Growing up in Scotland, tiffin was always the traybake I went for. I had no idea what it actually was, but I knew it was usually the most chocolatey option on offer! The thing about tiffin is that it can be a bit of a gamble - recipes vary so much. Some set so hard you might break a tooth, and others crumble to pieces the second you pick them up.
That's why I made this version to hit the perfect middle ground: soft and easy to bite into, but firm enough to slice neatly and hold together. There's chocolate in the base, not just on top, a great ratio of biscuits so every bite has some crunchy chunks, and a touch of oil in the topping to make it silky and easy to slice. It's one of those simple recipes that is hard to mess up but always disappears very quickly!
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What Is Tiffin?
Tiffin is a Scottish no-bake treat made with crushed biscuits, melted chocolate, butter, and sugar. It has a soft but crunchy texture with a chocolate layer on top. Popular across the UK, it's also called chocolate concrete, fridge cake, or biscuit cake.
Ingredients
This chocolate tiffin recipe uses simple ingredients that you can find in the baking aisle of most British supermarkets. If you are somewhere else in the world, I've provided some substitutions below so you can still make this tasty Scottish sweet treat.
I also have a post all about the differences between UK and US baking ingredients if you'd like to know more.
- Chocolate - I like to use milk chocolate for the base and a mixture of milk and dark chocolate for the topping - but you can use your favorite.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter.
- Sugar - Use caster sugar (granulated sugar in the US).
- Cocoa Powder - Adds more depth to the chocolate flavor without making the tiffin set too hard.
- Golden Syrup - If you can't find golden syrup where you are, you can substitute it with light corn syrup or honey.
- Digestive Biscuits - or Graham crackers or rich tea biscuits.
- Vegetable Oil - optional, but it helps the chocolate to slice without cracking. You can also use coconut oil.
See the recipe card for measurements in both cups and grams.
What You'll Need
- Baking pan - I used a 20cm (8-inch) square baking tin. You can use different shapes and sizes, but the tiffin will be a different thickness.
- Parchment paper
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Wooden spoon - or spatula
How To Make Tiffin
Tiffin is unbelievably easy to make; it's a no-bake dessert and takes just a few minutes to throw together.
Before you start, line your cake pan with greaseproof paper so you can get it out easily later.
Bash Biscuits
Yes, bash. Put the digestive biscuits or graham crackers in a ziploc bag and smash them with a rolling pin (or other heavy object) until they are mostly fine crumbs with some bigger chunks.
You can technically do this with a food processor, but this is the proper Scottish way to do it. Plus, it's great stress relief!
Melt Ingredients
Melt all of the other ingredients together (except the chocolate for the topping), either over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until everything is completely melted and smooth.
To make a double boiler (bain marie), place a heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Add the ingredients to the bowl and stir until melted and combined.
Combine
Add the crushed biscuits to the melted chocolate mixture and stir until they are evenly coated.
Shape
Tip the tiffin mixture into the prepared tin and press it down into the base of the tin a little bit with the back of a spoon to make an even layer.
Chocolate Layer
Melt the remaining chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, then mix in the oil and pour it over the top of the tiffin. Use a palette knife or spatula to spread it out evenly. You can tap the tin on the counter a few times to encourage it to settle into a smooth layer.
Chill for at least 2 hours.
Slice into Squares
Once your tiffin has chilled, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then use a sharp kitchen knife to trim off the edges to make clean sides. Then slice into 16 tiffin squares.
Traybake Slicing Tips
I have sliced a lot of traybakes in my time as a professional baker, from Millionaire's shortbread to fudgy brownies, and there are a few tiny tips that make the difference between beautiful, clean slices and a complete mess.
- Slice cold: Slice while cold to avoid crumbling.
- Hot knife: Warm your knife in hot water (or run it under a hot tap), then wipe it off with paper towels in between every single cut. It sounds like a hassle, but trust me, this is the thing that will make the biggest difference.
- Trim edges: Cut a tiny slice off each side of the slab before slicing squares - keeps everything neat, plus you get 'chef snacks'.
- Measure: For perfectly uniform slices, you can mark your cuts with a ruler. Though honestly, I usually just eyeball it.
- Score: If your chocolate topping is too thick or firm, score it several times with a pairing knife before slicing all the way through.
Chocolate Tiffin Variations
This classic tiffin recipe is so good as it is, but there are loads of ways you can customize it to make it your own.
- Raisins - Traditional tiffin has raisins in it, but personally, I think raisins in baked goods are a crime against humanity, so I leave them out. If you'd like to add them, you can add 1 cup (150g) of raisins at the same time you stir in the cookie crumbs.
- Tiffin Cake - You can press the tiffin mixture into a round cake pan to make a no-bake chocolate biscuit cake. This was apparently Queen Elizabeth's favorite cake.
- Rocky Road - You can add other mix-ins to this tiffin base. Try adding some marshmallows and cherries to make it like a rocky road.
- White Chocolate - If you prefer white chocolate, you can use that for the topping instead, just leave out the extra oil. You could also use white chocolate on top of the dark chocolate to make a pretty pattern.
Storage
Store your homemade tiffin in an airtight container. You can keep it at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you live somewhere warm, you should definitely store it in the refrigerator to stop the chocolate from melting or the slices from going too soft (we don't often have this problem in Scotland...)
Tiffin is best enjoyed at room temperature, so if you do chill it, take it out 30 minutes or so before serving.
You can freeze tiffin for up to 2 months, just make sure it is well wrapped in plastic wrap.
Show Me Your Bakes!
If you make this recipe, please tag @bonni_bakery on Instagram or send me a photo - I love seeing all your creations.
Want your bake featured on the blog? You can also upload a photo here.
More Scottish Recipes
If you enjoyed this tiffin recipe, check out some of these other Scottish desserts:
Recipe
Tiffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 360 g (12.5 oz) Digestive Biscuits (or Graham Crackers)
- 140 g (5 oz) Milk Chocolate
- 225 g (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
- 85 g (¼ cup) Golden Syrup (or light corn syrup, or honey)
- 50 g (¼ cup) Caster Sugar (granulated sugar in the US)
- 28 g (¼ cup) Cocoa Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 280 g (10 oz) Chocolate I used a mixture of dark and milk - use your favorite.
- 2 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
Equipment
- Square Cake Pan 20cm (8 inches)
- Spatula
Instructions
- Line a square cake pan with parchment paper. I used a 20cm (8-inch) pan. A wider pan will make thinner slices of tiffin.
- Put the digestive biscuits (or Graham Crackers) in a Ziploc bag and bash them with a rolling pin until they are mostly crushed with a few big chunks remaining. Yes you could. pulse them in a food processor, but this is the Scottish way to do it!360 g (12.5 oz) Digestive Biscuits
- Melt the chocolate, butter, golden syrup, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together, either over a double boiler or in 30-second bursts in the microwave - stirring in between until everything is completely melted and smooth.140 g (5 oz) Milk Chocolate, 225 g (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, 85 g (¼ cup) Golden Syrup, 50 g (¼ cup) Caster Sugar, 28 g (¼ cup) Cocoa Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Tip the crushed biscuits into the chocolate mixture and stir until evenly distributed.
- Spoon the tiffin mixture into the prepared pan and spread it around, pressing down slightly to make an even layer.
- Melt the chocolate for the topping in short bursts in the microwave, then stir in the oil.280 g (10 oz) Chocolate, 2 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
- Pour over the top of the tiffin and smooth it out. You can shake or tap the pan to encourage the chocolate to spread out evenly.
- Put in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours (even better if you can leave it overnight).
- Once chilled, let the tiffin sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up, then use a sharp knife to cut it into 16 squares.
Hi, I'm Jules!
I'm a Scottish ex-bakery owner sharing my tried and true dessert recipes and expert tips to help you whip up impressive desserts at home.
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