chocolate tim tam hedgehog – the world’s easiest no-bake ‘cake’

tim tam hedgehog-2

Imagine if cocoa butter came from an animal rather than a plant…..

I bet there would be a whole lot less vegetarians in the world, or maybe a lot more ‘choco-tarians’ – people who didn’t eat meat except for chocolate. I don’t think I would have come up with the idea of being vegetarian for a month if that was the case. I can’t imagine not eating chocolate.

Anyway, it occurred to me the other day that with the whole vegetarian month thing, stonesoup has been a little health food focused of late. Not that there’s anything wrong with delicious, nutritious vegetarian food. But I thought we could all do with a little chocolate reward.

So I put my thinking cap on and came up with this super simple chocolate treat – one of those recipes that seems like you’ve gone to a lot more effort than you actually have. The perfect sweet treat to finish off a dinner or an afternoon pick-me-up. Thanks heavens cocoa beans grow on trees.

tim tam hedgehog

[5 ingredients | 10 minutes+]
chocolate tim tam hedgehog
serves 10 – 12

A hedgehog is a chocolate based no bake ‘cake’ or slice that usually uses plain sweet biscuits (cookies) such as shortbread or digestives. It also often has nuts as well. I’ve gone for a minimalist chocolate extravaganza but feel free to add nuts if you like.

Tim Tams are THE best chocolate biscuit in Australia and possibly the world (although I’m a little biased as I used to work for the company that makes them). The thing I love about this creation is that the sweetness of the Tim Tams is balanced by the dark, dark, buttery, bitter chocolate and that the lovely crisp biscuit bases provide a satisfying textural crunch.

If you can’t get your hands on Tim Tams (they are available in the US during the winter from Pepperidge Farm), your favourite chocolate coated biscuit would be the next best thing (Penguins in the UK & Ireland). Or you could try shortbread or digestives for something a little less chocolatey.

If you prefer milk chocolate or even white, feel free to use them instead of the dark. And you can play around with the type of TIm Tams as well. I used the original milk chocolate here but thinking the dark or white ones would also be delish.

I was planning to make this again before I posted about it with double the amount of Tim Tams just to see what happens. But decided that it was better for my waistline if I didn’t. If you are feeling adventurous I think it would be more Tim Tammy and less richly chocolatey with 2 packs instead of one – but it’s just so decadent as is.

100g (3 1/2oz) butter
100g (3 1/2oz) dark chocolate – I used Lindt 70% cocoa solids
1 x 200g packet (7oz) Tim Tams

Line a 24cm x 12cm (approx 9 1/2in x 5in) loaf tin with baking paper or foil.

Place butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat until butter is only just melted. If it starts to sizzle it will be too hot and your chocolate might split. If this happens let it cool down a bit before proceeding.

Meanwhile break chocolate into small pieces. Cut Tim Tams into chunks about the size of a dice – the more rough and rustic the better.

Add chocolate to the butter and stir until it melts. If you’re struggling to get it to melt, pop it back on the stove on a very low heat for a few seconds at a time, stirring in between. Stir through Tim Tam chunks until well coated in chocolate and scrape the mixture into your prepared tin.

Smooth the top and refrigerate until set – about 30 minutes or so.

Chop into small chunks to serve.

And a note about the 10 minutes+
I’ve decided to create a new recipe category for things that are still simple and quick to make, and only require 10 minutes of active cooking time, but need some time to rest before they’re ready to eat. And the 5 ingredients is 5 or less.

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Still powering on with Vegetarian Month but realising that it takes a lot more planning to make sure you get your protein and iron requirements. I’d love to hear from vegetarian readers any tips you have on how to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs.

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51 Comments

  • That looks great! And just the sort of thing my almost 3 yr old cooking obsessed daughter could get stuck into. Probably literally. Oh and before I forget, go to a shop, buy 2 kg carrots, peel, halve and roast them for about an hour with three cloves of garlic and then puree into soup with some stock (ok, I used chicken but only cause i had it, veg would be great).. It really works roasting those carrots. Really REALLY works. I’m actually going to go to bed tonight, thinking about lunch tomorrow.

  • As a long time vegetarian, I find that I am used to making sure there are beans, tofu, cheese, eggs in my food (but I confess supplements occasionally help with iron when I get a little low). What is frustrating is when I eat out and am given food with very little protein.

    It is good to remember that even sweets can help with the nutrients for vegetarians – nuts in this dish would help you get more. Seeds, oats, eggs and molasses can also help.

    Tinned baked beans on toast is a good nutritious quick dinner for when you are feeling lazy. I have even taken to buying small tins of baked beans for breakfast or dinner when I have travelled with work just to make sure I get some decent protein and iron in my meals.

  • I love tim-tams! My friend is from Hong Kong and she is OBSESSED with them. She brings back a whole huge box whenever she visits HK! I wonder what would happen if I gave her this recipe… :D

    Wei-Wei

  • Please tell me you mean that it is 100g of chocolate with 100 of butter and not a total 200g of butter?

  • I LOVVVEEE tim tams… I live in London but Lived in Australia for a year as my family live in Perth. Theyre available over here but very pricey, but I stock up whenever I fly over there. This…. is amazing.

  • yay milly & wei wei – lovely to hear from fellow tim tam fans

    thanks eric & blair – have fixed the recipe – the old copy & paste mistake

    jackie – dangerous is the word – best to make it when you’re having lots of company

    johanna
    thanks for the tips – I hadn’t thought about dessert as an opportunity to get more nuts etc – brilliant idea. and agree that veggie protein in restaurants tends to be pretty thin on the ground. am experimenting with tofu at the moment.

    thanks claire. and the roasting of the carrots sounds like a real winner – taking it to the next level – thanks for doing the leg work for us!

  • Oh my. I happen to have a pack of Tim Tams in the pantry (which self-respecting chocolate loving Australian wouldn’t?). Will make this tonight.

  • Lovely, and about as healthy as jogging through a mine field. Nice!

    But – how can you honestly substitute Penguins for Tim Tams? It’s bordering on an insult. An insult!!

    I lived in the UK for a few years, and tried Penguins as a way of getting by. They are simply awful. They look the same, but the chocolate is of such a terrible waxy quality that it leaves you feeling empty and unfulfilled; you’ve just eaten a lump of fat and sugar, but not actually had the enjoyment that is meant to go with the sin. So, we had to rely on shipments of the real thing from family and friends to get us through.

    UK readers – it is worth getting hold of the real thing somehow.

  • UK and Europe! You can buy Tim Tams (and caramel crowns and teddy bear biscuits(though they end up being special occasion food because of the price….)) from the angloaustraliantrading.com website. I have done this a few times when i Germany and I was feeling down in winter and a little desparate (none of my friends were writing my surname on the care packages of Tim Tams, DVDs etc they were sending me so they were sent back to Oz!!! ).

    Great recipe. Very dangerous. I might try it out on my team for Friday Cake next week.

  • I would sometimes go days without having a proper source of protein. Since seeing a dietitian, I try and have it at both lunch and dinner.. however I accept the fact that if I dine out for one of those meals, chances are I won’t get a serve (unless I specifically go to a vegetarian place). I make sure to constantly have on hand small tins of 4 bean mix to add to salads, I bulk up my stirfries and curries with tofu now, and I rely on the Sanittarium range of products like the vegie schnitzels and soy fillets. I think ensuring that you eat the right things always takes a bit of ‘planning’ but after a while it just becomes second nature :)

  • It seems like our “salame di cioccolato” …so yummy…i like to add almonds and lots of candied fruits…In this way is so much easier to make, you don’t have to roll anything just spread chill and eat, I like the idea…mmm…

  • I think we just call this “fridge cake” in the UK. I used to eat it when I was a kid… it was made with chocolate digestives instead of tim tams and also had caramel in it. I’m having a real nostalgic moment now, I’m in Germany these days, wonder if I can find suitable substitutes?

  • Aw I love TimTams. As a biscuit designer, maybe you can clear up the urban myth about the ingredients in a TimTam. I keep hearing this horrible rumour that there is a toxic chemical in the biscuits that is banned in overseas countries. Which makes me sad, because I love to dunk a TimTam into a hot drink and slurp it up. Is it true?! Or are my slurping days still long from over?

  • benjamin
    I know, penguins aren’t even in the same league but was just trying to think of things that would almost be the same as tim tams. with all the extra chocolate & butter the penguins would be better than on their own

    for everyone that hasn’t heard of Tim Tams, you’re missing out. Start planning a trip to Australia!

    Amber
    No there aren’t any toxic chemicals in Tim Tams. So no need to feel sad when you’re dunking and slurping. There was some press about the artificial colours used in Tim Tams but they are perfectly legal here and the Australian Food Authority is one of the most cautious in the world. I wouldn’t be surprised if they move to natural colours anyway.

    Mika
    great name salame di choccolatto – might have to use that in the future

  • this looks great but ive sworn off timtams cos i know i cant stop at one lolz..

    ive been vego for 5 yrs and i take swisse ultivites womens multi vitamins and take iron tablets 3 times a wk :O)

  • I purposely didn’t look at this post for so long, but boredom got the better of me. My mum used to make hedgehog slice when we were little (bless her hopeless-cook’s socks, that was about as complex as it got for her). I have seen it at a few cafes and always been disappointed when I tried it. Homemade wins, always!

    Today is a good day for Tim Tams for me. I fear that one of these will be born in my kitchen tonight. And possibly also die there too ;-)

  • YUUUUUUUUUUUUM! This is certainly going on the to make list.

    Although, I’m glad the serving suggestion is just a suggestion, we’ll be enjoying it between two :O That probably makes it even worse than running through a mine field, but we’ll die happy :)

  • The hedgehogs look great. I wonder if tim tam is suitable for vegetarians (whether the emulsifiers they use are veg or animal sourced)? I tried asking thru their website but as yet no answer.

  • I have two packets of Tim Tams in my pantry now, I am going to try this recipe as it sounds fabulous as well as easy. I guess I’ll have to spend extra time on Wii Fit after I indulge in these hedgehogs.

  • For those in the US, you can also find Tim Tams at Cost Plus World Market, only they go by the name Arnott’s Biscuits.

  • i love timtam, where to buy timtam cake im from Philippines
    hello TimTam Factory please send sample of your chocolate direct from Australla wow
    Timtam here in Philippines was not so good i dont know why, my froend brought timtam direct from Australla wow vey yummyyyyy
    regards to all Timtams friends chi

  • having trouble with the signing up process. of course we have the tim tams in the cupboard, but to my utter shame, no chocolate to complete the no bake. High priority tomorrow. Im going to use the white chocolate timtams, for colour contrast, and mayb some rough chopped macadamias……….bada bing, bada booooooom!

  • Hey There

    Sounds a great recipe i am about to try it…. adding in some cherries!!

    cheers
    Paul

  • hi jules,
    i could spend hours looking at your photography.
    i was wondering how long the hedgehog will keep for? i’m thinking about cutting it into small pieces and placing it in cellophane bags, to give for christmas. Will they still be fresh in a week’s time?

  • thanks newbie
    it will actually keep for a couple of months with all that chocolate! it’s a great gift idea – I should have included it in my post on christmas gifts

  • Oh my, this is perfect. I have my 40th birthday coming up and I promised to take in something yummy for my students, something they would all trough ! I think this is the winner !!! Thank you !

  • newbie
    best in the fridge.

    tasmanian minimalist
    glad you like it.. but isn’t it a bit tough that you have to bring your own birthday treat? have a good one anyway

  • Tried the tim tam no bake,and my kids and me found
    it rather sickly and not much taste! Not really a good
    thing for kids to eat anyway,we should encourage fruit
    and grain snacks,not this rubbish! Please try and be
    more thoughtful when posting and think of all the fat
    obese kids!!!!

    J.Saunders

  • Hi Jill,
    I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the Tim Tam hedgehog. Feel free to feed your children all the fruit and grain snacks you like, if that’s what you’d prefer.

  • I have a magnificent recipe for hedgehog with walnuts & cherries but am going to give this a good Aussie try for its simplicity. I may even try it with some MALTEZER’S instead of the walnuts & cherries if it turns out like I hope. :-)

  • I just discovered your blog and reading this I had to post a comment and say this looks wonderful! I’m going to try it soon, probably with some almonds or cashews. Yum.

  • do u still work for arnotts, cos check itout – tim tams plus chocolate plus butter?? Give us a break!

  • Love this idea, in Ireland we would call it biscuit cake!! I have to say though penguins would be a great sub instead of Tim tams! Oz chocolate is very different ( still havent acquired the taste for it) than Irish, but have to say Tim tams are the best thing here! Add in some Marsh mallows as well :) yummy!

  • Tim Tams have 5 artificial colours, 4 of which are banned in the UK. Their chocolate coating is not made from cocoa, but a mixture of artificial colours of Tartrazine (102), Sunset Yellow (110), Allura Red (129), Brilliant Blue (133) and Caramel (150). These additives are all suspect carcinogens.

    • Hi Claire
      Not sure where you’re getting your information from. The artificial colours are in the cream and biscuit.. but I wouldn’t be surprised if Arnotts has removed them in recent times.. so best to check a current package.
      The coating is real chocolate make from cocoa butter and cocoa solids, sugar and milk powder and lectitin (used in pretty much all chocolate). I used to work for them and the chocolate making was my favourite part!

  • It looks delicious, however i think your were talking about a vegan at the beginning- someone who doesn’t eat any animal produces e.g. dairy and eggs. Vegetariens can eat chocolate! i am a vegetarien and i love a bit of chocolate once in a while- yet make sure it’s fairtrade :) I try to encourage people to try being a vegetarien because all that you are losing is meat, and if you need to, gradually work your way up. start off not eating red meat, then don’t eat chicken, then don’t eat fish. However if you are like me you may find your blood is low in either vitamin B or iron, hence having to take vitamins daily to avoid anemia. It is a really great step towards the future of a factory farming free world. :) don’t mean to sound like a hippy but i am just very passionate about it. Oh and if i could, i would be a choc-o-tarien hahaha…. so much for the gym membership!

  • This sounds wonderful! Add chopped apricots and ginger pieces for extra fabulous!

  • Read the ingredients of Tim Tams and sadly, i wont even try them. THEY CONTAIN PALM OIL! The palm oil industry is responsible for destroying the habitat for primates . Palm Oil for humans is more important than the primates. Sad, Please boycott anything with palm oil. Do an internet search on the subject, it is horrifying! If you love animals, dont eat Tim Tams!

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