When the Royals are in the spotlight, you can’t help but wonder what they are eating. To the rescue is Eating Royally, Recipes and Remembrances from a Palace Kitchen.
Written by Darren McGrady in 2007, 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.
This simple chocolate biscuit cake served as Prince William’s Groom’s Cake for his wedding to Kate in 2011. You can easily make it to celebrate Harry’s wedding to Meghan on May 19.
As you can see there is no flour or leavening, so think chocolate covered tea biscuits shaped into a cake if you eat is right away. Leave it for a few days and the cookies soften to give it more of a lovely cake texture. The recipe calls for a 6 inch spring form pan so to get the same volume if you want to use a standard 9 or 10 inch spring form pan, you will need to double the recipe. This “cake” will freeze well for your next garden or tea party
Royal Biscuit Cake
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.
Notes
Tools of the Trade
Cooks, like other professionals, have their tools and as Mrs. Patmore says “it is a poor workman who blames his tools”. You can make do with the basics, but as you gain confidence and love for cooking, you should start to recognize items to help you cook. Mrs. Patmore didn’t electronic gadgets to cook with so be assured you can make do without the expensive gizmos. This section helps you identify some equipment that I use. If you wish you can order directly from Cooking.com or Amazon, both reputable stores I have used in the past.
Purchase from Amazon
