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This gluten free Chocolate Concrete (also known by many as Chocolate Crunch!) is a retro dessert I have fond memories of from primary school! Made with only 5 ingredients, it’s best served slightly warm with custard, but equally as good cold in lunchboxes too.

A slice of chocolate concrete with pink custard.

Notes On This Chocolate Concrete Recipe

🍫 This retro Chocolate Concrete is a classic British school dinner recipe from the 90s – a bit like a chocolate gluten free shortbread, but with a little more crunch.

🍫 You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this recipe: gluten free flour, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, granulated sugar and butter. It’s so simple!

🍫 It only take 5 minutes to whip this up and 20 minutes to bake, and it’s also great for making with kids as they can get stuck in with their hands mixing it up!

🍫 I make pink custard by adding some pink food colouring, but did you know the old-school stuff from primary school is actually not custard – it’s strawberry blamange!?

Table of Contents

Ingredients and Substitutions

There’s a printable recipe card below for this gluten free chocolate crunch recipe with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps:

  • Plain Gluten Free Flour: I usually use the FREEE gluten free flour blend, but any plain supermarket gluten free flour should work fine.
  • Granulated Sugar: You could use caster sugar but granulated is more authentic to get that trademark crunchy texture.
  • Xanthan Gum: You can omit this if your flour blend contains it.
  • Cocoa Powder: Most brands are gluten free but always double check.
  • Butter: For a dairy free/vegan recipe, you could use a baking margarine like Stork.
Ingredients for chocolate concrete with text labels.

How to Make Gluten Free Chocolate Concrete

There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this chocolate concrete is to make gluten free.

Process shot for gluten free chocolate concrete recipe showing the dry ingredients mixed together in a bowl.
Step 1: Mix together the dry ingredients.
Process shot for gluten free chocolate concrete recipe showing the butter added to the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Add the melted butter and mix.
Process shot for gluten free chocolate concrete recipe showing the mixture pressed into a baking tin.
Step 3: Press into a baking tin and bake.
Process shot for gluten free chocolate concrete recipe showing the finished concrete cut into triangles.
Step 4: Cut into triangles while still warm.
A jug of pink custard pouring over a slice of chocolate concrete.
Step 5: Serve the chocolate concrete warm with (pink!) custard for a delicious, retro dessert.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

TO STORE: This Chocolate Concrete can be stored at room temperature and will last up to a week easily. Eat cold or warm through to serve.

TO FREEZE: I cut mine into portions before freezing, then you can just defrost what you need at-a-time.

A slice of chocolate concrete with pink custard.
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Chocolate Concrete Recipe

By: Sarah Howells
This gluten free Chocolate Concrete (also known by many as Chocolate Crunch!) is a retro dessert. Best served slightly warm with custard, but equally as good cold in lunchboxes too.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 200 g gluten free plain flour
  • 200 g granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 0.25 tsp xanthan gum
  • 50 g cocoa powder
  • 100 g butter, melted

To serve:

Metric – US Customary

Instructions 

  • Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin. Preheat the oven to 180C / Fan 160C / Gas Mark 4.
  • Add the gluten free flour, sugar, cocoa powder and xanthan gum to a large mixing bowl and mix together to combine.
  • Pour in the melted butter and begin to mix using a fork. Once it starts to come together a little, use your hands to bring it together into a dough.
  • Turn out the mixture into the tin and press down into a flat, even layer using your hands.
  • Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 15-30 minutes before cutting into triangles and serving warm with custard (to make it pink, add a few drops of pink food colouring!)

Notes

  • This Chocolate Concrete will store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week, or can be frozen – I recommend portioning it up first.
  • To make this recipe dairy free, swap the butter for a dairy free margarine like Stork. This will also make it vegan!

Nutrition

Serving: 1triangle | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g
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More Nostalgic Gluten Free Recipes

If you love this gluten free jam and coconut sponge recipe, why not try some of my other nostalgic gluten free bakes next?

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About Sarah Howells

Hi, I'm Sarah! Diagnosed with coeliac disease 20 years ago, I'm on a mission to create the best gluten free recipes since sliced bread. No fruit salads or dry brownies here.

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