OK, you have to first understand that when I say “biscuit,” I am referring to “cookies,” not those big muffin-looking things you eat at breakfast to keep the bacon grease off your hands! In Britain, biscuits are cookies . . . and cookies . . . well those are things that keep popping up on your computer screens. That explained, this is an amazing no-bake cake best served straight from the refrigerator. I can’t say how long it keeps because I have never had one last longer than five minutes before I was staring at a plate of crumbs.
Without a doubt, it is the Queen’s favorite tea cake. We had request after request from palace visitors to divulge the recipe. Well, I’ve held out until now. Enjoy!
½ teaspoon butter, for greasing pan
8 ounces McVities rich tea biscuits
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate
1 egg, beaten
8 ounces dark chocolate, for icing
1 ounce white chocolate, for decoration
1. Lightly grease a small (such as 6 × 2½-inch) cake ring with ½ teaspoon butter, and place on a parchment-lined tray. 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 lemon color.
2. 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.
3. Spoon the chocolate biscuit mixture into the prepared cake ring. Try to fill all of the gaps on the bottom of the ring, because this will be the top when it is unmolded. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least three hours.
4. 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 onto a cooling rack. Pour the 8 ounces of melted dark chocolate over the cake, and smooth the top and sides using a butter knife or offset spatula. Allow the chocolate icing to set at room temperature. Carefully run a knife around the bottom of the cake where it has stuck to the cooling rack, and transfer the cake to a cake dish. Melt the white chocolate and drizzle on top of the cake in a decorative pattern.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS