Old School Chocolate Concrete Recipe
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Chocolate
Servings
12
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Calories
330
For many kids in the UK, school dinners were a mixed experience, but one thing most of us looked forward to was dessert!
Among the most beloved of all was Chocolate Concrete—a firm, crunchy chocolate traybake served with a generous helping of silky, pastel-pink custard.
It was simple, delicious, and the perfect balance of textures.
Chocolate Concrete earned its name from its incredibly firm texture, often requiring a good whack with a spoon to break into.
But once you did, you were rewarded with a rich, chocolatey bite that softened ever so slightly when drenched in warm, sweet custard.
There was something so satisfying about watching that thick, creamy custard slowly seep into the cracks of the concrete-like bake, creating a heavenly combination that made school lunchtimes feel just a little bit special.
This recipe is all about bringing back those childhood memories, but it’s just as enjoyable today as it was back then.
It’s quick, easy, and requires only a handful of basic ingredients, making it the perfect bake for anyone craving a taste of the past.
Share it with family, introduce it to the next generation, or simply enjoy a trip down memory lane with this timeless classic.
Let’s get baking and relive those school-day treats! 🍫💗
Ingredients
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225g plain flour
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225g granulated sugar
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50g cocoa powder
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115g unsalted butter (melted)
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1 large egg (beaten)
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Optional: icing sugar for dusting
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500ml whole milk
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2 tbsp caster sugar
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2 tbsp custard powder
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1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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A few drops of pink food colouring
For the Chocolate Concrete:
For the Pink Custard:
Directions
How to To Make the Chocolate Concrete:
Preheat your oven to 160°C (fan)/180°C/Gas Mark 4 and grease or line a baking tin (approximately 8x8 inches or similar).
In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, granulated sugar, and cocoa powder.
Add the melted butter and beaten egg to the dry ingredients and mix well.
The mixture will look sandy – this is exactly what you want!
Tip the mixture into your prepared baking tin and press it down firmly using the back of a spoon or your hands.
The firmer it’s packed, the crunchier it’ll be.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until firm and set.
It may not look fully done, but it will harden as it cools.
Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin.
Once cool, cut into squares or rectangles and dust lightly with icing sugar.
To Make the Pink Custard:
In a saucepan, heat 400ml of the milk until it’s just about to boil.
In a small bowl or jug, mix the custard powder, sugar, and remaining 100ml milk until smooth.
Slowly pour the custard mixture into the hot milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Cook over low-medium heat until the custard thickens.
Add the vanilla extract and a few drops of pink food colouring, stirring until you achieve that classic pastel-pink hue.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before serving.
To Serve
Place a generous slice of chocolate concrete onto a plate, and pour over the warm pink custard.
The crunchy chocolate and creamy custard combo is pure school nostalgia!
Top Tip
For an extra-crunchy concrete, store the cooled squares in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
Perfect for dunking into custard!
Enjoy a trip down memory lane with this classic dessert – it's simple, fun, and full of retro old-school charm! 🍫💗
Recipe Notes
If you have any questions how how to make this old school chocolate concrete using this recipe, please post a comment below and we will get back to you.
Servings: The recipe typically yields about 12 delicious slices of concrete.
Calories per serving: 330 calories.
Remember: Please tag #whitakerschocolates with photos of your old school, homemade choclate concrete.
What is Chocolate Concrete?
Chocolate Concrete is a classic British school dinner dessert, famous for its super crunchy texture and rich chocolate flavour.
Despite its name, it’s not actually as hard as concrete (though some school versions came close!), but it does have a satisfyingly firm, biscuit-like bite.
This nostalgic traybake is made using simple ingredients—flour, sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and egg—and is baked until firm.
The key to its iconic crunch is pressing the mixture down firmly before baking and allowing it to cool completely before cutting.
Some bakers even chill it in the fridge for extra crunchiness!
Traditionally, Chocolate Concrete was served with pink custard, a smooth and creamy vanilla-flavoured custard tinted with food colouring.
The contrast of crunchy chocolate and silky custard made it a favourite among school kids across the UK.
Even today, this retro dessert remains a much-loved treat, perfect for anyone looking to relive those classic school dinner days! 🍫😊
Nutritional Information
Nutrient | Per Portion (approx.) |
|---|---|
Energy | 188 kcal |
Fat | 9.2 g |
of which saturates | 5.1 g |
Carbohydrate | 24 g |
of which sugars | 13 g |
Fibre | 1.3 g |
Protein | 2.4 g |
Salt | 0.12 g |
Approximate values based on a standard old school recipe yielding 16 portions. Actual figures may vary with exact ingredients and portion size.
The History of Chocolate Concrete
Chocolate concrete stands as one of the most memorable puddings from British school dinners.
Its name comes from the way the mixture sets hard and crunchy once cool, much like a slab of concrete.
Yet this simple traybake brought joy to countless children across the country for decades.
The dish rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s, though some recall similar versions from the 1960s.
After the Second World War, school catering expanded rapidly to feed growing numbers of pupils.
Dinner ladies needed recipes that were cheap, quick to prepare in large batches and filling. Chocolate concrete fitted the bill perfectly.
Every school kitchen had its own slight variation. Some used golden syrup for extra chew, others added a little egg to help the mixture hold together.
The base stayed the same: flour, sugar, butter or margarine and cocoa powder. Baked thin in large trays, it cooled to a satisfying snap that children loved.
The real star pairing was pink custard. This sweet, bright sauce often came from a packet mix and was ladled generously over the squares.
Some schools offered chocolate or mint custard instead. The contrast between the dry, rich concrete and the smooth, colourful sauce created a taste that many still crave today.
Regional names added to the charm. In parts of the country it was known as chocolate crunch.
No matter the label, the pudding appeared on menus week after week. It was reliable, affordable and popular with both pupils and staff. Its simplicity meant it could be made even on busy days.
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, school food standards began to change. Healthier options replaced many classic puddings.
Chocolate concrete slowly disappeared from canteens, yet it never left people’s memories. Adults who grew up with it still talk about it with fondness.
In recent years the recipe has enjoyed a strong revival. Home cooks recreate it for family meals and nostalgia evenings.
Modern versions sometimes use better quality cocoa or even dark chocolate from brands such as Whitakers for a richer flavour. The core method remains unchanged because it simply works.
Chocolate concrete tells a wider story about post-war Britain. It reflects a time when school dinners aimed to provide hot, hearty food on a tight budget.
The pudding became part of shared childhood experiences for generations. Its crunchy texture and chocolate taste still evoke strong feelings of comfort and fun.
Today it continues to bring people together. Whether served at a retro dinner party or baked for grandchildren, the squares carry history in every bite.
The name may sound odd, yet the pudding itself remains a much-loved part of British food heritage.
2 comments
I absolutely love your recipes.
Many Thanks Ali xx
Chocolate concrete brings back memories luv it luv it luv it