Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Binding
- 150 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 150 g milk chocolate, chopped
- 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 50 g golden syrup
Crunchy Mix-ins
- 200 g digestive biscuits
- 150 g honeycomb candy, roughly chopped
- 2 g sea salt, flaky
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 248 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 237 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 14 mg
- Potassium
- 85 mg
- Calcium
- 18 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 45 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 44 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 3 mcg
- Water
- 2 g
- Caffeine
- 8 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Line a 20x20cm square baking tin with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides to easily lift the traybake out later.
Place the digestive biscuits into a zip-lock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them. Aim for a mixture of fine sandy crumbs and larger, pebble-sized pieces to provide varied texture.
Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water at around 90°C/195°F, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Add the butter, golden syrup, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate.
Stir the mixture occasionally until completely melted, smooth, and glossy. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
Fold the crushed biscuits, two-thirds of the chopped honeycomb, and the flaky sea salt into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Mix until every piece is generously coated.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking tin. Use a silicone spatula to spread it into an even layer, pressing down firmly to eliminate air pockets. Scatter the remaining honeycomb evenly over the surface and press lightly so it adheres.
Place the tin in the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours until the chocolate has completely set and holds its shape.
Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the block out of the tin. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then use a sharp knife heated in hot water to cut it into 16 even squares.
Chef's Notes
- Using a mixture of both dark and milk chocolate is crucial; entirely milk chocolate will make the end result overly sweet, while entirely dark chocolate can overpower the buttery biscuits.
- For the cleanest, most professional-looking slices, avoid a sawing motion with your knife. Instead, heat the blade, dry it completely, and apply firm, even downward pressure.
- Chocolate-coated honeycomb bars hold up significantly better in the wet mixture than uncoated homemade honeycomb, which is more prone to absorbing moisture and dissolving.
- The addition of golden syrup and butter to the melting chocolate creates a faux-ganache that stops the chocolate from setting rock-hard in the fridge, making it sliceable and incredibly rich.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container to prevent the honeycomb from weeping or becoming sticky.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in parchment and foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before eating.
Troubleshooting
Honeycomb dissolves or loses its signature crunch
Cause: The honeycomb was folded into the chocolate mixture while it was still too hot
Fix: Cannot be fixed once dissolved
Prevention: Allow the melted chocolate mixture to rest off the heat for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the honeycomb
The chocolate block shatters unevenly when cutting
Cause: The traybake was sliced while straight out of the refrigerator, making the chocolate too brittle
Fix: Run a large knife under very hot water, dry it thoroughly, and press down slowly to cleanly melt through the top layer
Prevention: Let the block sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before attempting to cut
Chocolate mixture becomes grainy and stiff while melting
Cause: Moisture from the simmering water got into the bowl and caused the chocolate to seize
Fix: Vigorously whisk in a teaspoon of neutral oil or additional golden syrup to help smooth it out, though texture may remain slightly altered
Prevention: Ensure all bowls and utensils are perfectly dry and that the water is barely simmering to avoid splashes
Cultural Context
Tiffin is a traditional British no-bake confection believed to have originated in Troon, Scotland in the early 1900s. Originally conceived as an ingenious way for bakeries to use up broken biscuits and leftover chocolates, it has evolved into a beloved tea-time staple highly adaptable to modern additions like honeycomb.
