Chocolate Biscuit cake was the Queen’s favourite cake to have with Afternoon Tea. This simple chocolate biscuit cake was also served as Prince William’s Groom’s Cake for his 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton. This is a great recipe to make for those who have little skill in baking. It is essentially a mixture of crushed Rich Tea Biscuits and quality melted chocolate.
Darren McGrady shares the recipe in his book Eating Royally: Recipes and Remembrances from a Palace Kitchen. He was a Chef to the Royal Family during the Diana years, starting shortly after her marriage to Prince Charles, and served as her personal chef until her untimely death.
Darren is still rattling pans around the world, and you can keep up with him at The Royal Chef.
Note that Darren’s recipe calls for a 6″ tin which you likely don’t have in your own kitchen. So double the ingredients and off you go!
Royal Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon butter or spray
- 8 ounces McVities Rich Tea Biscuits (about 1 roll less a few cookies for snacking)
- ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup Granulated sugar (or sugar substitute)
- 4 ounces(3/4 cup) quality dark chocolate
- 1 egg beaten
- 6 ounces (1.5 cups) quality dark chocolate quality dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup whipping cream (or plain non fat yoghurt)
- 1 ounce white or dark chocolate for decoration
Instructions
- Lightly grease a small (6 x 2½-inch) spring form pan with ½ teaspoon butter or cooking spray.
- Break each of the biscuits into almond-size pieces by hand and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is a light color.
- Melt the 4 ounces of dark chocolate in a double boiler.
- Add the butter and sugar mixture to the chocolate, stirring constantly.
- Add the egg and continue stirring. Fold in the biscuit pieces until they are all coated with the chocolate mixture.
- Carefully spoon the chocolate biscuit mixture into the prepared spring form pan, working to ensure you get the mixture into the nocks and crannies as best as you can.
- Even out the top as it will be the bottom of the cake when you finish.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least three hours.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator, and let it stand while you melt the 8 ounces of dark chocolate for icing.
- Slide the ring off the cake and turn the cake upside down.
- Melt the extra dark chocolate and dairy product in a metal bowl set over simmering water on the stove. Take off the heat and let thicken to spreading consistency. You can now cammoflage any gaps and the ganache will harden when it sets.
- This is what Prince William's Grooms Cake looked like.
