Around the time of the Royal Wedding I was most interested in the choice of Groom’s cake. I have to admit I wasn’t that excited about the main cake, mainly because it was a traditional fruit cake and no matter how many I have tried, I haven’t tasted one I like. And for me it doesn’t matter how pretty it is, if it doesn’t taste nice, what’s the point? I probably going off on a tangent now but I did go to see the dress and cake at Buckingham Palace and both where stunning. I can’t imagine the hours of work that must have gone into every fine little detail of that cake, but back to my original point, I really wanted to make that chocolate cake.
Google it and you will soon discover that it is not all that simple to pin down the recipe. The bakers at McVitie’s who made the cake where given the recipe by Buckingham Palace and sworn to secrecy. I honestly gave up on it last year, but with the Queens Diamond Jubilee approaching I have had a renewed interest. I want to make a cake to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and after a bit of nosing around the internet I discovered the Queen’s supposed favourite cake is none other than the same Chocolate Biscuit Cake made for the Royal Wedding. Well now this time I have to give it a go, don’t I?
After more research I have managed to pin down this recipe by Darren McGrady the former personal chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana and Prince William and Harry. Now if he doesn’t know how to make it who does, right? So here is the recipe for the Royal Chocolate Biscuit Cake.
100g dark chocolate (for the cake)
120g granulated sugar
120g unsalted butter
1 egg
220g Rich Tea biscuits
220g dark chocolate (for the coating)
Chocolate (for decoration)
Lightly grease a cake ring and place on a tray on a sheet of parchment paper.
Break the biscuits into almond-size pieces and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until the mixture lightens. Melt 100g of chocolate and add to the butter mix while stirring. Beat in the egg.
Fold in the biscuits until they are coated with chocolate mix. Spoon into the cake ring. Try to fill all of the gaps on the bottom. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least three hours, then let it stand while you melt the chocolate.
Slide the ring off the cake and turn it upside down on to a cake wire. Pour the chocolate over and smooth the top and sides with a palette knife. Set at room temperature. Run a knife around the bottom and lift it on to a tea plate.
Decorate as desired . Serves eight.
Eating Royally: Recipes And Remembrances From A Palace Kitchen by Darren McGrady (Thomas Nelson) is available on Amazon.
And now to get decorating my jubilee cake.........
Ready to add the chocolate coating
I decided to decorate with a chocolate collar. This was my first time ever doing this. For how to I watched this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0F1bF0xJhY
I finished off with a Union Jack made of White Chocolate Shavings, Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries.
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