Tiffin. An indulgent little slice of chocolate-and-biscuit heaven and the perfect tea-time treat. We love it so much, in fact, that we've written a whole article on the snack!
Whether you're a fellow tiffin-lover or you're on the hunt for the best chocolate treats - we're about to take a bite into this British favourite.
What is Chocolate Tiffin? Whose Great Idea Was It?
Tiffin cake is not to be confused with the Indian term 'tiffin', which means an entirely different type of food. Chocolate tiffin is a classic British no-bake refrigerator cake that originated in the early 1900s.
Who do you have to thank for this chocolaty treat? That credit goes to a bakery in our Scottish homeland, somewhere in Troon. Little did this bakery know at the time that they'd concocted one of the nation's most beloved treats.
After gaining much love in Scotland, bakeries throughout Britain began to add chocolate tiffin to their recipe books, making and selling it as their own.
Fast forward to today, and it's a classic British treat you can find in just about any bakery, supermarket, corner shop – and, of course, right here at Lazy Day.
The Ingredients of Tiffin: What Makes It So Delicious?
Tiffin is usually made with biscuits, dried fruit and milk chocolate. Of course, there are many different takes on the cake, but these are the main ingredients.
The crushed biscuits or shortbread is folded into melted chocolate and sprinkled with dried fruit (currents, raisins and cherries, for example). It's topped off with a smooth layer of chocolate and left to set in the fridge.
We think the thing that makes this treat such a favourite is the different elements – the crunch of the biscuit, the melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate and then a burst of juicy sweetness from the dried fruit. It's all so delectable!
Delicious Takes on Tiffin Cakes
While there's nothing quite like the classic, that hasn't stopped us from having a little fun with our favourite treat.
Chocolate tiffin is incredibly adaptable – you can switch up the chocolate, biscuits and dried fruits to make unique takes on the original recipe.
But the basis of a tiffin recipe remains the same: chocolate, biscuits and dried fruit.
Classic Scottish Tiffin
Where it all began. A classic Scottish tiffin cake usually uses shortbread biscuits and a generous amount of currents, all smothered in a layer of silky-smooth milk chocolate.
Chocolate Tiffin With a Twist
One of the greatest things about baking is that you can get creative with your recipes – and that applies to tiffin, too!
Adding cherries or cranberries for a burst of freshness or switching out the shortbread for digestive biscuits or Graham crackers are both popular twists.
Golden syrup is another popular addition, giving the treat a slightly sweeter and sticker texture, along with white chocolate tiffin for a creamier taste.
Free-From & Vegan Chocolate Tiffin
With all this talk of biscuits and chocolate, you may be wondering: can I enjoy tiffin cake if I'm vegan or have a dietary requirement?
The answer is YES!
Lazy Day's Gluten-Free, Milk-Free, Egg-Free & Vegan Chocolate Tiffin
Part of our mission at Lazy Day is to make sure nobody has to go without tasty treats because of their dietary requirements or allergies - our food scientist founders bake this ethos into every slice we produce and our range of free-from and vegan tiffin cakes is proof of that.
Having spent years perfecting our Tiffin recipes, we've created a delicious alternative with the same great taste and texture as the classic (better, even!) but without any of the allergens. This means that whether you have a food allergy or not, you can enjoy our Tiffin guilt-free.
The Lazy Day chocolate tiffin is gluten-free, milk-free, egg-free, vegan and made in a nut-free bakery.
We have 2 types of tiffin, which are...
Classic Chocolate Tiffin
Our free-from chocolate tiffin celebrates the classic tiffin recipe, just without the allergens.
Buttery shortbread bits are mixed with juicy sultanas, smothered by rich chocolate ganache, and topped with real Belgian dark chocolate.
The end result? A classic chocolate tiffin cake that's nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free!
You can buy this traybake in a sharing box with enough slices to go round (or keep to yourself) or as individually wrapped pieces, perfect for school or work lunchboxes for on-the-go treats.
You can find me in the Free-From aisle at: Sainsbury's, Waitrose, & Morrisons
Zingy Chocolate Orange Tiffin
For a refreshing, citrusy twist, our chocolate orange tiffin is the perfect pick.
Using the same tried, tested and very well-loved recipe, we've added a generous helping of natural orange oil, offering a subtle burst of zing.
This treat is also available as a sharing box or individually wrapped slices.
You can find me in the Free-From section online at: Ocado
Indulge in the Rest of Our Free-From Traybake Range
If you can't get enough of our free-from treats, we have an entire traybakes range for you to indulge in.
Everything is available to buy on our website, or you can pick them up from your local supermarket (check our stockists to find out which stores stock Lazy Day goodies).
The rest of our range includes:
Millionaire's Shortbread
Rocky Road
Salted Caramel Crispies
All free-from and vegan, of course.
So go on, treat yourself!
