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Christmas Chocolate Tiffin

A simple no-bake recipe that takes a favourite treat and adds traditional festive flavours to make it extra special and delicious.

It's recommended you read the accompanying blog post before starting to cook. Use digital scales and metric measurements as these were used to test the recipe.

Course Snack, Cake, Biscuit
Cuisine British, World
Keyword easy, christmas, no bake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 35 minutes
Servings 16
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

For the base

  • 300 g biscuits (e.g. shortbread, digestives, ginger biscuits)
  • 180 g butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 65 g golden syrup
  • 40 g caster sugar
  • 25 g cocoa powder
  • 1 rounded tsp mixed spice (increase to a heaped tsp for a stronger flavour)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 large pinch salt (optional)
  • 60 g glacé cherries (chopped, quartered or halved)
  • 50 g raisins
  • 50 g dried mixed peel
  • 50 - 75 g stem ginger (finely chopped, approx. 2 - 3 balls)
  • 1 large orange (zest only)

For the topping

  • 125 g dark chocolate (can be replaced with milk chocolate)
  • 125 g milk chocolate (can be replaced with dark chocolate)

Decoration (choose as many as you like)

  • crystallized, glacé or stem ginger (chopped)
  • glacé cherries (chopped)
  • nuts e.g. pistachios (chopped)
  • edible stars, balls, grated or melted white chocolate etc.

Instructions

Make the base

  1. Line a 20 cm square baking tin or similar with baking paper, foil, or cling film so it comes up the sides.

  2. Put the biscuits in a strong polythene bag or similar and roll over or hit with a rolling pin until you have a mixture of crumbs and larger pieces. Set aside.

  3. Put the butter in a saucepan large enough to fit all the ingredients for the base and place over low-medium heat.

    When the butter has melted a little, add the golden syrup, sugar, cocoa powder, mixed spice, cinnamon, plus the salt if using.

    Stir until everything is melted into a smooth, shiny mixture with no undissolved sugar granules or cocoa powder then take off the heat.

  4. Stir in the crushed biscuits, cherries, raisins, peel, stem ginger, and orange zest until they're completely coated in the chocolate mixture.

    Transfer to the prepared tin, smoothing and levelling the mixture with the back of a spoon.

    Put aside to set a little while you make the topping and prepare any decorations.

    Tip 1. Setting a little means the base and topping won't merge into one when you pour the melted chocolate over, but should stay in two layers.

    Tip 2. Don't leave the base until completely set and cold before adding the topping or the two layers won't stick together properly.

Make and add the topping

  1. Break the dark and milk chocolate into pieces and put in a microwave-safe bowl or jug.

    Melt on full power in 10 - 20 second bursts, stirring between each one, until just a few small pieces of un-melted chocolate remain. Stir vigorously until completely smooth.

    Alternative: on top of the stove. Melt the dark and milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl above a pan of gently simmering water. Stir constantly and make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.

  2. Pour the melted chocolate onto the base and spread it evenly to cover. Tap on the work surface to knock out any air gaps.

  3. Sprinkle over your chosen decorations before the chocolate sets so that they stick on, but leave a minute or two before adding any heavier decorations so they don't sink.

Chill and cut

  1. Transfer to the fridge and leave until completely chilled. This is likely to take a minimum of 5 hours but the taste and texture is improved if left overnight.

  2. Cut into 16 squares or 64 mini, bite-sized tiffin.

    See blog post for tips on cutting.

  3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge where it should keep for a week.

    Can also be frozen, although the top may develop a (harmless) whiteish colour.