CHILDHOOD CLASSIC
Find out how to make this old-school classic
- Published: 8:02, 1 Aug 2025
A TIKTOKER has gone viral after sharing her mums iconic four-ingredient recipe for a school dinner pudding thats bound to bring back memories.
Kate Keogh posted the throwback bake on her account, and fans cant get enough of the old-school favourite.

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An ex-dinner lady has shared her recipe for a childhood school classic Credit: Tiktok/ @kate_keo
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The dessert only uses four ingredients Credit: Tiktok/ @kate_keoAnd judging by the comments, shes unlocked a core childhood memory for a lot of Brits.
If you grew up in the UK, chances are you remember whacking your spoon through a slab of this chocolate concrete in the dinner hall, often with a big dollop of pink custard on the side.
This is just like the one we had at school, one viewer said.
Cant believe how easy it is.
Another added: Its not school dinners without chocolate concrete and pink custard!
For anyone unfamiliar, chocolate concrete was a staple of British school dinners from the 1970s through to the early 2000s.
Its a hard, crunchy chocolate traybake that almost always came served with vibrant pink custard, adding a sweet contrast to its dense texture.
Its known for being so tough, you needed a strong spoon, or sheer willpower, to break through it.
But fans of the pudding say thats all part of the charm.
Now, thanks to Kate and her mum, who used to be a school dinner lady, you can recreate it at home with just four simple ingredients.
And the best bit is it tastes exactly like the one you had in school.
The simple chocolate cake recipe using only TWO ingredients - it's sweet and you won't even need to put it in the ovenKate said: This was one of my favourites, it brings back all the memories. We had so many requests for this recipe, and I can see why!
To make it, you only need plain flour, sugar, cocoa powder and melted butter.
The dry ingredients get mixed together until they resemble a crumbly mess.
It looks like mud, Kate joked, as they pressed the mixture into a tray.
A sprinkle of water and sugar over the top gives it that signature crunch once baked.
After half an hour in the oven, it comes out smelling amazing and rock solid, just like it should.
It cuts best while its still hot, Kate said, showing off a perfect square of chocolate concrete. Its school in a bite.
Fans flooded the comments saying how much they loved the nostalgic bake, with one person writing: This is EXACTLY how I remember it!.
Another added: Please make pink custard next, I forgot how much I loved that combo.
A third said: "One follower commented: We used to race to be first in line for this at school. Its legendary.
Kate teased she might share the recipe for chocolate crunch next, which is a slightly softer school favourite made with eggs, but its the concrete version thats got everyone talking.
TikTok has become a hotspot for nostalgic food trends lately, with creators reviving everything from cornflake tart to spam fritters, but chocolate concrete continues to top the list as a childhood favourite.
With the summer holidays in full swing, this is the perfect treat to whip up with the kids or just for a throwback afternoon tea.
Just make sure youve got a strong spoon and maybe a side of pink custard, for old times sake.
Method

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The chocolate concrete dessert is easy to make Credit: AlamyHere's how to make it.
First preheat your oven to 180�C (160�C fan/gas mark 4).
Then grease a square baking tin (around 910 inches) with butter or line with baking paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the plain flour, sugar, and cocoa powder.
Mix well until everything is evenly combined it should look like a dry, crumbly mixture.
Then you will want to pour in the melted butter and mix again until it resembles a thick crumble texture.
It wont look like a typical cake batter but thats exactly how it should be.
Tip the mixture into the tin and press it down firmly using the back of a spoon or your hands.
Really compress it so its packed in tight as this helps it harden into that classic "concrete" texture.
Drizzle a small amount of cold water over the top, then sprinkle over a little extra sugar. This gives it that signature crisp topping.
Then bake it in the oven for 30 minutes.
Youll know its ready when it smells rich and chocolatey and feels firm on top.
As soon as it comes out, cut it into squares while still hot, itll harden fast as it cools.
You'll want to serve it warm if you like it soft in the middle or let it cool completely for that full crunchy, authentic school pudding texture.
Ingredients
For 12 slices, you will need:
300g plain flour
300g granulated sugar
60g cocoa powder
150g melted butter
A little cold water (for sprinkling)
Extra sugar (for topping)