First of the summer baking...

YES. EXAMS ARE OVER. Or at least they are for 2nd year medics.  My condolences to those of you who still are jailed at home or in the library. It’s strange that after nigh on a fortnight of revising 10 hours a day I’m almost at a loss of what to do with myself.  I feel guilty for not revising when there isn’t anything to revise anymore!
Yesterday, after celebrating with a plate of well deserved Whey Pat Nachos (if you’re from St Andrews you will understand the epic tastiness of the Whey Pat Nachos) and a pint, I decided to make Cranberry White Chocolate Tiffin. I’d had the idea to try and make a White Chocolate Tiffin for a few weeks.  However, the last 2 weeks have seen me locked in my room with no hope of baking.

The original Tiffin recipe is very similar, a no-bake biscuit cake made of crushed digestives and raisins mixed with a melted butter/sugar mixture.  Then you cover the delightful concoction with a wicked layer of chocolate.  In my version, I have replaced the digestive biscuits with custard creams, the raisins with cranberries, and the dark chocolate with white chocolate.  I also left out the cocoa in the butter mixture and added a splash of vanilla near the end.

These were a bit of an experiment, but they are delicious! So, without further ado, to celebrate the start of summer, I give you Cranberry White Chocolate Tiffin!

(P.S.  I thanks to the lovely B for taking the photo for me. :D)

Cranberry White Chocolate Tiffin

Makes an 8″x8″ pan – cut them as large or as tiny as you like!

Ingredients:

• 300g custard creams
• 1 handful dried cranberries
• 110g salted butter
• 2 tbsp golden (corn) syrup
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 200g white chocolate, coarsely chopped.

Directions:

1. Line a 8″x8″ baking pan with tin foil and lightly grease.
2. Place the custard creams in a large mixing bowl and crush em! I used a potato masher.  A very good way to get rid of all that exam stress.
3. Melt butter, golden syrup and sugar into sauce pan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  When melted, add a handful of dried cranberries.
4. Let the butter mixture simmer for about 30 sec (simmer not rolling boil!) before removing from heat.  Stir in vanilla.
5. Quickly pour the butter mxture over the custard creams and mix until thoroughly combined.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
7. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water.  I prefer the microwave method: place chopped white chocolate in a microvable bowl and heat for 20 sec intervals, stirring well after each time.  Be careful to keep checking it! You don’t want to burn the chocolate.
8. Pour the white chocolate evenly over the biscuit layer and smooth with a spatula.
9. Chill in the fridge for 30-60min or until set.  Cut into squares or triangles and enjoy!

HAPPY SUMMER, EVERYBODY!