No-Bake Chocolate Fridge Cake: Tiffin

Sue Maree P -

No-bake chocolate fridge cake is a perfect treat for kids to make during the holidays with you as it requires no baking. My favourite chocolate fridge cake recipe combines dried cranberries and pistachios. However, you could adapt this recipe to suit your taste buds. It is an easy recipe to mix and match to suit your taste or whatever you have in the pantry. Make this gluten-free by using gluten-free biscuits. This recipe is easy to make and wrap as a gift idea. Please take a look below for Sue Maree P's baking tips on creating your masterpiece.

Gift Idea


In Scotland, this cake is also known as a tiffin and was invented in the early 1900s in Troon, Scotland, a type of fridge cake that does not require baking. Made as a slice or traybake using crushed biscuits, syrup, dried fruit, and chocolate.

Ingredients

  • Quality dark chocolate 70% – 300g (1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)
  • Cubed unsalted butter – 120g (about 1/2 cup +1 tbsp)
  • Maple Syrup, golden syrup or honey – 100g (about 1/3 cup)
  • Salt – 1/8 tsp
  • Dried Cranberries or sultanas– 100g (about 3/4 cup)
  • Hot Water – 3-4 tbsp
  • Digestive biscuits, use gluten-free if needed – 177g (12 biscuits)
  • Chopped nuts pistachios, almonds, pecan or hazelnuts –100g ( about 3/4 cup)

Method

  1. PREPARE a rectangular 28 x 18cm or square baking tin 23 x 23cm. Grease with butter and line with baking paper. I find scrunching the paper into a ball then wetting it slightly, much easier to place in the corners of the baking tin.
  2. SOAK the cranberries in a bowl hot water and cover for about 30 minutes until soft.
  3. MELT the chocolate, butter, salt and syrup for 2-3 minutes in a heat proof bowl over a simmering small saucepan of water. Ensure the base of your bowl is not touching the water and stir the mix often to ensure all the ingredients melt.
  4. BREAK your biscuits into small 2cm pieces.
  5. ADD fruit, biscuits and three quarters of the nuts to the melted chocolate. It's okay if there is a little water left over from the dried fruit, you can add that in as well. Reserve at least 3 tbsp of the chopped nuts to decorate once in the tin.
  6. SPREAD into a tray with a spatula.
  7. SPRINKLE with the balance of the nuts
  8. COOL for 10 minutes
  9. WRAP with plastic wrap to cover
  10. CHILL for 2-3 hours until set or overnight.
  11. CUT into 16-20 pieces. You may need to remove the cake from the fridge and let it rest for 30-40 minutes before slicing.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

  • Chocolate – swap out dark chocolate for 150g milk chocolate and 150g dark chocolate.
  • Biscuits – swap out for Granita or Marie biscuits in Australia or Graham crackers in America
  • Storing – this cake can be stored in a sealed container for a week
  • Options – you could include crystalised ginger, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flavoured chocolate, children might like M&Ms, crushed peppermint bar, swap out biscuits for Rice bubbles or rice crispies. Silver sparkles or hundreds and thousands sprinkles.
  • Vegan – swap out the butter for dairy free, use a dairy free chocolate and use golden syrup or maple syrup.