Chocolate Biscuit Cake ~ A favourite of late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William by Carolyn Robb, former Royal Chef.
SERVES 16-20
FOR THE CAKE
340g (12oz) butter
240g (8oz) golden syrup
60g (2oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
120g (4oz) dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
60g (2oz) pistachios
100g (3½ oz) soft, plump dried figs, sliced or chopped
450g (1lb) digestive biscuits, crushed
TO DECORATE
300g (11oz) dark chocolate, chopped
50g (2oz) white chocolate, chopped
selection of small chocolate sticks and dark and white Maltesers or Whoppers
YOU WILL NEED
one 20cm (8in) round or square cake tin about 7cm (2¾ in) deep (or use a flan ring)
1. Melt the butter with the golden syrup in a heavy-based pan. Do not let it boil.
2. Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder, dark chocolate and vanilla extract.
3. Stir until you have a very smooth, glossy mixture.
4. Add the pistachios, figs and crushed biscuits to the chocolate mixture and stir well.
5. Line the base and sides of the cake tin with baking parchment or plastic wrap.
6. Place the mixture in the tin and press it down. (If you are using a square tin, make sure you press it down well into the corners.)
7. Leave to cool at room temperature before covering and chilling in the fridge. It will take about 2 hours to set completely firm.
8. When set, remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack.
9. Melt the dark chocolate and white chocolate separately.
10. Spread the dark chocolate all over the cake.
11. Decorate with the Maltesers before the chocolate sets, so that they stick to the cake. Position chocolate sticks as desired and drizzle with the white chocolate (and a little extra dark, if wished).
12. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
13. Keeps for up to two weeks, although it seldom lasts that long, once people know that it is there!
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
