Updated: Oct 24, 2022
This royalty-approved cake is easy and delicious, and
perfect for teatime, dessert or as a treat-yourself snack!
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 35 Minutes + chilling time
(3 hours or overnight)
Servings: 12
8 inch or 9 inch springform cake pan for single cake
or
a 4 inch springform pan + cupcake tin and liners
Large mixing bowl
Double boiler or heavy bottomed pot
12-14 ounces 'digestive biscuits' --any crispy plain cookie or will work if you can't find the specific biscuit. Check the International Aisle at your market for the
1/2 cup walnuts or favorite nut, chopped (if omitting nuts, use 14 ounces of biscuits)
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup butter, cut up
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 ounces 70% chocolate chopped (any dark chocolate that you like is fine here!)
1/4 cup coconut cream or whipping cream
Cake:
Break up digestive biscuits/cookies into small pieces.
Combine nuts and biscuit pieces in mixing bowl, mix well and set aside.
In your double boiler or heavy bottomed pot, combine cocoa and sugar and stir well.
Add water to cocoa/sugar mix and stir over medium-low heat.
Add butter to cocoa mixture, gently stir to help melting.
Continue stirring over heat until mixture is well mixed, the color becomes dark and uniform and just at the edge of boiling. Mixture will be very hot to touch. About 8 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
Let cool slightly (a few minutes) and pour over biscuit/nut mixture.
Mix thoroughly - you want the biscuit/nut mixture well coated.
Spoon into whichever pan/cupcake tin your using. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
Ganache:
Heat coconut cream (or dairy/whipping) until bubbles appear at edge.
Pour heated liquid over chopped chocolate and let rest for 3 minutes (cover if the room is cold).
Using a whisk or beater, stir ganache mixture until completely smooth and mixed.
Take cake out of fridge and spoon ganache over cake/cupcakes.
Cover the cake(s) and return to the fridge to let chill.
Let cake rest in fridge for at least 3 hours and preferably overnight.
Notes:
Our recipe uses coconut cream in place of dairy for the ganache. A dairy ganache will give you the classic smooth texture whereas coconut cream ganache has a slightly lighter flavor.
If using coconut cream for the ganache, refrigerate a can of coconut milk and scoop off the solids to give you the cream part.
Regardless which you use, definitely use a dark chocolate with a minimum of 60% and preferably 70%. The cake itself leans toward the slightly sweeter side, so a darker chocolate will balance it with a more intense flavor.
Ideally cover the cake before returning to the fridge. If you have some kind of lidded container or wrap that you normally use, now would be the time to use it! You want to keep the moisture in to help the cake develop the correct texture.
Take the cake out of the fridge at least 10 minutes prior to serving to help with the cutting, so it doesn't crumble and you get a nice clean cut to showcase the interesting interior of this royal confection!
post updated 09/22/2022