Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Way back in the sixties my mother used to make a cake that was called the Salami Cake. It was made with a chocolate batter and broken biscuits, the kind that you would serve with tea. The broken biscuits were mixed until well coated with the batter and then rolled into a cyclinder wrapped in aluminum foil and refrigeratered until firm. When the roll was sliced it resembled salami, the broken cookies looked like the bits of fat in salami. I used to really like it but like so many recipes this one was lost and forgotten about until this recipe for Chocolate Biscuit Cake which was featured on the Oprah show on the day William and Kate were married brought back memories of the Salami Cake.

This cake was made for Prince William as a groom's cake because it was his favourite cake. I decided to make it because it reminded me so much of the cake I had loved.

The biscuits are broken into almond sized pieces

Butter and sugar are whipped until very light and then the melted dark chocolate is mixed into the mixture.

An egg is added and mixed until well incorporated.

The cookies are added to the batter and mixed until well combined and then the mixture is poured into a greased 6 inch cake pan. I used a springform pan which worked very well.

The cake is refrigerated for a few hours. Meanwhile more dark chocolate is melted and put aside to frost the cake when it has set.

It looks very nice. However the cake doesn't slice nicely. I probably did not compress it enough into the pan. The chocolate coating is also hard and brittle so getting a nice clean slice was impossible.

Nonetheless it was well received by my family including my mother who was over for dinner.

My son said it reminded him of dobosh, a multi layered chocolate torte that is a favourite around here. My husband who wasn't going to try a piece decided to give it a try when he heard that it was similar to dobosh torte and liked it. It was very different from the cake I had known as it wasn't as easy to slice and the distinct almond flavour in the salami cake was missing here. I was glad I tried it, though I don't know that I would make it again. Then again I just might as I have a feeling my family may request this cake again.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake
by former royal chef Darren McGrady

Servings: Makes one 6-inch round cake (8 portions)

Ingredients

1/2 tsp. butter , for greasing
8 ounces Rich tea biscuits
4 ounces unsalted butter , softened
4 ounces granulated sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate , for the cake
1 egg
8 ounces dark chocolate , for coating
1 ounce chocolate , for decorating
Directions
To make cake: Lightly grease a 6" x 2 1/2" cake ring and place on a tray on a sheet of parchment paper.

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 starts to lighten.

Melt the 4 ounces of dark chocolate and add to the butter mixture while constantly stirring.

Beat the egg into the mixture.

Fold in the biscuit pieces until they are all coated with the chocolate mixture.

Spoon the 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 3 hours.

To coat and decorate: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let it stand while you melt the 8 ounces of dark chocolate.

Slide the ring off the cake and turn it upside down onto a cake wire.

Pour the melted chocolate over the cake and smooth the top and sides using a palette knife.

Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.

Carefully run a knife around the bottom of the cake where the chocolate has stuck to the cake wire and lift it onto a tea plate.

Melt the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate and use to decorate the top of the cake.