Summary of "Former Royal Chef Revisits Prince William's 'Chocolate Biscuit' Grooms Cake for the 10th Anniversary"

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, room temperature (quantity not specified)
Sugar (quantity not specified)
Chocolate (quantity not specified, melted and lump-free)
Rich Tea biscuits (McVitie’s recommended; broken into walnut-sized pieces)

Substitutions and Variations: - Other biscuits like digestive or graham crackers are sometimes used, but Rich Tea biscuits are preferred for authenticity. - Optional additions include chopped apricots, chopped dates, and M&M’s (Smarties in the UK) folded into the mix.

Equipment & Preparation

Mixer for creaming butter and sugar
8-inch cake tin, greased with butter around the edges
Wire rack and baking sheet for chocolate coating
Small knife for releasing cake from wire rack
Spatula for smoothing chocolate coating

Method

Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat unsalted butter and sugar together using a mixer until smooth, light, and fluffy.
Melt Chocolate: Melt chocolate and stir until completely smooth with no lumps.
Combine: Add melted chocolate to the creamed butter and sugar mixture and mix thoroughly.
Prepare Biscuits: Break Rich Tea biscuits into walnut-sized pieces by hand (avoid crushing with rolling pin or pan to preserve texture).
Mix Biscuits and Chocolate: Fold the chocolate mixture into the biscuit pieces until all biscuits are fully coated.
Assemble Cake: Spoon the mixture into the greased 8-inch cake tin, pressing down to create a flat, smooth surface (this will become the top when inverted).
Chill: Refrigerate the cake overnight.
Chocolate Coating: Remove cake from tin onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Melt more chocolate and ladle or spoon over the cake, swirling to cover the top and sides evenly. Use a spatula to smooth the coating.
Set: Refrigerate until the chocolate coating is set (about 1 hour or longer).
Finish: Carefully release the cake from the wire rack using a small knife and transfer to a serving plate.
Decorate: Decorate as desired (e.g., sugar flowers, edible picture frame, gold dusting).

Chef Tips & Notes

Use Rich Tea biscuits for the authentic texture and flavor.
Breaking biscuits by hand into walnut-sized pieces preserves the right texture better than crushing.
The bottom layer in the tin should be flat and smooth as it becomes the top of the cake after inversion.
The cake keeps well and is traditionally eaten over several days.
Chocolate biscuit cake is a favorite for afternoon tea, especially with the Queen.
The recipe is easy and great for involving children.
Decorating can include sugar daffodils and roses, or an edible chocolate picture frame dusted with gold for special occasions.

Variations Discussed

Adding dried fruits like apricots and dates.
Folding in colorful candies such as M&M’s/Smarties.
Different biscuit types (though Rich Tea is preferred for authenticity).

Background & Presentation

The recipe was originally the groom’s cake for Prince William’s wedding.
The chef shared the recipe with the Prince of Wales’ chefs at Highgrove.
The cake was featured on the Oprah Winfrey show, with a three-tier version decorated with sugar flowers and an edible picture frame.
The chef donated royalties from the recipe book Eating Royally to the Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation, linking to Princess Diana’s charitable interests.

Presenter: Former Royal Chef (name not specified) Referenced Source: Eating Royally cookbook and royal kitchen anecdotes