Jubilee biscuit cake
Chocolatier Paul A. Young shares his celebratory twist on a royal favourite, chocolate biscuit cake.
For this recipe, you'll need three 15cm/6in diameter tall cake tins and a cake board. You can use one tin, but you'll need to allow extra time for each layer to firm up before assembly.
Ingredients
For the dark chocolate layer
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú unsalted butter, softened
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú unrefined caster sugar
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú golden syrup
- 25ml/¾fl oz warm water
- ½ tsp sea saltÌý
- 125²µ/4½´Ç³ú dark chocolate, in pieces
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú tea biscuits (such as Rich Tea)
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú digestive biscuits
For the milk chocolate layer
- 80g/2¾oz unsalted butter, softened
- 185g/6½ oz sweetened condensed milk
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú milk chocolate, in pieces
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú chocolate sandwich biscuits (such as Bourbon biscuits)
For the white chocolate layer
- 225g/8oz white chocolate, in pieces
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú unsalted butter, softened
- 75g/2½oz sweetened condensed milk
- 25g/1oz golden syrup
- 1 tbsp hot waterÌý
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú pink or chocolate wafer biscuits
- ½ tsp sea salt
To assemble
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú melted milk, white or dark chocolateÌý
For the ganache
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú dark chocolateÌý
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú milk chocolate
- sprinkles, flags, biscuits andÌýany Jubilee-themed decorations
Method
For the dark chocolate layer, line a 15cm/6in diameter tall cake tin with baking paper.
Put the butter, caster sugar, golden syrup, water and sea salt together in a pan over a low heat. Bring to a simmer, then take off the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth.Ìý
Break the biscuitsÌýup into chunky pieces and mix them into the chocolate mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and level off.ÌýRefrigerateÌýfor one hour.
Remove from the fridge, carefully remove from the tin and peel off the baking paper.
For the milk chocolate layer, line another 15cm/6in diameter tall cake tin with baking paper. Combine the butter, condensed milk and sea salt in a pan and place on a low heat. Once melted, take off the heat, add the chocolate and stir until smooth.Ìý
Break the biscuitsÌýup into chunky pieces and mix into the chocolate mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and level off.ÌýRefrigerateÌýfor one hour. Remove from the fridge, carefully remove from the tin and peel off the baking paper.
For the white chocolate layer, line a 15cm/6in diameter tall cake tin with baking paper. Put the butter, golden syrup, condensed milk, water and sea salt in a pan and melt over a low heat. Remove from the heat. Add the white chocolate and stir until smooth.Ìý
Chop the biscuitsÌýup into chunky pieces and stir them into the chocolate mixture.
Spoon the mixture into the tin and level off.ÌýRefrigerateÌýfor one hour.
Remove from the fridge, carefully remove the cake from the tin and peel off the baking paper.
To assemble the cake, place the dark chocolate layer of cake onto a cake board. Spread one dessertspoon of the melted chocolateÌýonto the dark layer.
Place the milk chocolate layer on top and press firmly so that it bonds to the dark chocolate layer.
RepeatÌýthis with the melted chocolateÌýand white chocolateÌýlayer so that you now have a layered cake with white chocolate at the top, milk chocolate in the centre and dark chocolate at the bottom.Ìý
For the ganache, chop both the types of chocolates into small pieces. Bring the cream to a simmer in a pan and pour onto the chocolate, whisking well until glossy and smooth.Ìý
Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature, but not to go fully cold as it will be too thick to spread.
Spread the ganache evenly over the sides and top ofÌýthe cake making sure that you are generous with the ganache on the top of the cake.ÌýDo not worry if theÌýganache is not perfectly even or flat, it doesn'tÌýneed to be.Ìý
Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set the ganache.
To serve, use a sharp knife to cut into wedges.ÌýThis cake must be served at room temperature (It will keep in an airtight container for 5 days or the individual layers of biscuit cake will keep for two weeks.)
