warchild......you are correct, a graham cracker is nothing like a rich tea. Any biscuit could be used for this cake, it depends on your personal preference.
For the past 50 years my family have used digestive biscuits, and thats how we like it.
I guess you could compare it to cake recipes...people tweak them all the time and new recipes are created. :^)
I was curious about what the cake was. I'm gonna give this it a try.
If you can find them Social Tea Bisquits will work also. i think they are made by Nabisco. I used to use them in another version of this same type of cake.
Check World Market. They have the Digestive Biscuits online, as well as several other McVities products. Also the Maria biscuits.
If you are lucky you may have a World Market close by.
Unfortunately they closed all the World Market's here in our state. 
warchild......you are correct, a graham cracker is nothing like a rich tea. Any biscuit could be used for this cake, it depends on your personal preference.
For the past 50 years my family have used digestive biscuits, and thats how we like it.
I guess you could compare it to cake recipes...people tweak them all the time and new recipes are created. :^)
Yes of course, you're absolutely right. Everyone who wants to try the recipe should use what ever biscuit/cookie that suits their fancy. I was to quick to pounce on the graham crackers simply because I dislike them so much. I do apologize for that.
mthiberge.......the real mccoy as in made from the royals?, someone in this thread did post the royal recipe? also the chef has been on the TV this past week. I believe this thread has 2 recipes, the royal and also my 'family version'. Both alittle different but pretty much the same result, a fantastic tasting quick easy show stopper, it is delish.
Try it it's wonderful
I'm glad to know Amazon sells those tea biscuits -- I wouldn't have a clue where to get them otherwise!
Just so we're clear, is this what you are referring to? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EPPC80/?tag=cakecentral-20
You know now that I read the recipe more closely, I have more questions:
~ Can any shortbread cookie be substituted for the tea biscuits?
~ Do you have to have a cake ring or can you use a regular 6 x 2 cake pan?
When I was in college in the US, I found digestive biscuits at the international grocery stores, and in the Caribbean grocers as well. A lot of countries outside of the UK enjoy UK products so you might find it in some of the grocery stores that carry international products. Hope that helps!
If you can find them Social Tea Bisquits will work also. i think they are made by Nabisco. I used to use them in another version of this same type of cake.
I agree social tea biscuits are similar to British tea biscuits in taste and texture!
sounds dalish!....how do we know this recipe is the real mccoy?
mthiberge, if you go back to the first page of this thread I posted the original recipe from Darren McGrady's Eating Royally book. He was Princess Diana's Private chef.
Well you have to understand that our market likes to mark things up if they possibly can if it is foreign and they think they can get by with it. They can mark a simple box of gingersnaps $4.00 and those are cheap to make. So you can imagine what they would do to a foreign cookie. Probably mark it like 6.00 a container.
Here's the reply I got from my aunt:
Someone's been watching Oprah!! 
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Recipe courtesy of Darren McGrady (former chef to Queen Elizabeth II)
http://www.oprah.com/food/Chocolate-Biscuit-Cake-Recipe (You'll find this recipe and others by Darren McGrady)
1/2 teaspoon soft butter
8 ounces *McVities rich tea biscuits - In USA use a plain cookie like a Sweet Marie or an arrowroot (or something just slightly richer than arrowroot). A rich tea biscuit as indicated in this recipe is a plain round crispy cookie (biscuit in the UK) less flaky than a digestive, but sweeter than an arrowroot. I would think that a plain packaged sugar cookie would do (not the soft kind).
4 ounces soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate
1 egg, beaten
8 ounces dark chocolate for icing
1 ounce white chocolate for decoration (the online recipe and picture shows dark chocolate decoration)
1. Line the base of a spring form pan with silicone paper, and butter the sides. Break the biscuits into almond-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Melt 4 ounces dark chocolate and mix with butter, add the beaten egg and mix well. Add biscuits and coat well.
3. Pour into the pan, making sure the bottom is well covered as this will be the top of the cake when it is unmolded. Let set in a fridge for three hours. Let partially warm outside of the fridge while 8 ounces dark chocolate and white chocolate are melted. Flip cake and drizzle chocolate on top.
If you click on the link, you'll see a pic of a finished cake (although Prince William's cake wasn't decorated quite as basically as this! 
)
Here's the reply I got from my aunt:
Someone's been watching Oprah!!
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Recipe courtesy of Darren McGrady (former chef to Queen Elizabeth II)
http://www.oprah.com/food/Chocolate-Biscuit-Cake-Recipe (You'll find this recipe and others by Darren McGrady)
1/2 teaspoon soft butter
8 ounces *McVities rich tea biscuits - In USA use a plain cookie like a Sweet Marie or an arrowroot (or something just slightly richer than arrowroot). A rich tea biscuit as indicated in this recipe is a plain round crispy cookie (biscuit in the UK) less flaky than a digestive, but sweeter than an arrowroot. I would think that a plain packaged sugar cookie would do (not the soft kind).
4 ounces soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 ounces dark chocolate
1 egg, beaten
8 ounces dark chocolate for icing
1 ounce white chocolate for decoration (the online recipe and picture shows dark chocolate decoration)
1. Line the base of a spring form pan with silicone paper, and butter the sides. Break the biscuits into almond-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Melt 4 ounces dark chocolate and mix with butter, add the beaten egg and mix well. Add biscuits and coat well.
3. Pour into the pan, making sure the bottom is well covered as this will be the top of the cake when it is unmolded. Let set in a fridge for three hours. Let partially warm outside of the fridge while 8 ounces dark chocolate and white chocolate are melted. Flip cake and drizzle chocolate on top.
If you click on the link, you'll see a pic of a finished cake (although Prince William's cake wasn't decorated quite as basically as this!
)
The recipe on Oprah is from Daren McGradys book, but the instructions in the end of step 1 and beginning of step 2 have been typed incorrectly by whomever she had add it to her website, for her fans. Nothing terribly out of whack but enough to confuse many of the commentors on the recipe.
Its also being mentioned on a few blogs that Oprah has the instructions incorrect and should have it changed.
From Darren McGrady's book.... the correct instructions on how to incorporate the butter, sugar, chocolate and beaten egg.
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is a light lemon color.
Melt the 4 ounces of dark chocolate in a double boiler. Add the butter and sugar mixture to the chocolate, stirring contstantly. Add the egg and continue stirring. Fold in the biscuit pieces until they are all coated with the chocolate mixture.
I found this recipe that did not call for eggs:
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
For the cake:
7 oz. package butter tea biscuits
1 c. heavy cream
2 T. honey
1/2 stick butter
16 oz. bittersweet chocolate bits
1 tsp. vanilla
For the glaze:
2 T. butter
1/4 c. heavy cream
6oz. bittersweet chocolate
Coat a 7- or 8-inch round springform pan with cooking spray.
To make the cake, with your hands break up the biscuits into 1/4- to 1/2 inch pieces; you want chunks not crumbs.
In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the cream, honey and butter. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes, or until bubbling. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla, and then the crumbled biscuits. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter to eliminate any air pockets.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
Once the cake is chilled, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and cream. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
Carefully remove the sides from the springform pan ( you may need to slide a paring knife around the inside upper edge to ensure the sides come away cleanly from the cake.) Invert the cake on a wire rack, then remove the bottom of the pan from the cake. Se the rack over parchment paper to catch drips.
Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to drip down and completely cover the top and sides. Allow to firm up, then transfer to a serving plate. Refrigerate leftovers.
(Recipe by Allison Ladman)
I found this recipe that did not call for eggs:
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
For the cake:
7 oz. package butter tea biscuits
1 c. heavy cream
2 T. honey
1/2 stick butter
16 oz. bittersweet chocolate bits
1 tsp. vanilla
For the glaze:
2 T. butter
1/4 c. heavy cream
6oz. bittersweet chocolate
Coat a 7- or 8-inch round springform pan with cooking spray.
To make the cake, with your hands break up the biscuits into 1/4- to 1/2 inch pieces; you want chunks not crumbs.
In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the cream, honey and butter. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes, or until bubbling. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla, and then the crumbled biscuits. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter to eliminate any air pockets.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
Once the cake is chilled, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and cream. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
Carefully remove the sides from the springform pan ( you may need to slide a paring knife around the inside upper edge to ensure the sides come away cleanly from the cake.) Invert the cake on a wire rack, then remove the bottom of the pan from the cake. Se the rack over parchment paper to catch drips.
Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to drip down and completely cover the top and sides. Allow to firm up, then transfer to a serving plate. Refrigerate leftovers.
(Recipe by Allison Ladman)
Its kind of like a sweetened ganache mixed with biscuits, from the list of ingredients. I wonder why Ms Ladman omitted the egg? The egg is cooked by being stirred with the hot melted chocolate, The same as its cooked when we make Naniamo bars with hot melted cocolate at Christmas. If it wasn't cooked, there'd of been a lot of sick people over the last 40 odd years !
If you can find them Social Tea Bisquits will work also. i think they are made by Nabisco. I used to use them in another version of this same type of cake.
WalMart sells Nabisco's Social Tea Biscuits:
(Not available in all stores, but at least you can see what the package looks like.)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nabisco-Social-Tea-Biscuits-12.35-oz/10292809
HTH
Royal Wedding: Chocolate Biscuit Cake recipe
Serves 8 commoners.
[/i]
This made me smile! If it serves 8 commoners, how many royals will it serve?
If you can find them Social Tea Bisquits will work also. i think they are made by Nabisco. I used to use them in another version of this same type of cake.
WalMart sells Nabisco's Social Tea Biscuits:
(Not available in all stores, but at least you can see what the package looks like.)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nabisco-Social-Tea-Biscuits-12.35-oz/10292809
HTH
They look the same as our biscuits to me, only we call that style Rich Tea Fingers. Just to confuse you all a bit more
Huh.. I got the watched topic update thingy just a while ago but each time I tried the watched topic link, I got "this post does not exist"
I haven't had a problem getting the watched topic link to open before unless it actually was a thread that had been been deleted.
I figured this thread was deleted too, until I checked and saw its still going strong when I logged on.
How weird..
I think that we just have to expect that they are going to do weird things from time to time. I have had it do that on a cake that I had seen on most saved and also recently added and I know it was there, but would not open to let me see it. It is frustrating for sure, but I guess it is probably going to happen from time to time. Facebook does weird things all the time when I am on there. Sometimes it makes me think that I have jinxed it. LOL!!
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