Bulgarian Biscuit Cake (Biscvitena Torta)
Soft. Creamy. Full of custard! The Bulgarian Biscuit Cake (Biscvitena Torta) is a simple, no-bake dessert that is effortlessly delicious and is sure to become your go-to weeknight treat!
My mother’s Bulgarian cooking and baking growing up always filled our home with love and warmth. The Bulgarian Biscuit Cake (Biscvitena Torta) became one of my first favourite desserts that was often in the fridge for my brother and I to enjoy. This nostalgic, layered biscuit and custard cake, requires no baking, is made in less than 20 minutes (making of custard included!), and after refrigeration becomes a soft, light, and gently sweet indulgence!
The Bulgarian Biscuit Cake (Biscvitena Torta) can be made with vanilla or chocolate custard layers, crushed nuts (typically Walnuts), and shaved chocolate on top! It may not always be the tidiest dessert to eat *with the creamy custard layers* however it certainly makes up for it in deliciousness! Try it today!
What you will need to make this delicious biscuit and custard cake:
- Biscuits (such as rectangular tea biscuits/arrowroot cookies)
- Milk (2% or higher)
- Egg
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Butter
- Baking essentials: Vanilla, salt
- Toppings: Grated chocolate, walnuts
Let’s make my favourite Bulgarian Biscuit Cake (Biscvitena Torta)!
Simple Custard
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, with cornstarch and salt. Mix to combine (Note: this is all done OFF-HEAT).
Slowly add milk to the saucepan and stir ingredients together. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken (Note: you may or may not notice boiling however the mixture will be hot and thick along the sides of your saucepan).
In a small bowl, beat egg. While beating the egg, slowly incorporate a stream of the hot milk mixture into the egg. Remove saucepan from the heat and add all of the egg mixture into the milk mixture. Whisk vigorously. Return saucepan to heat.
Continue to stir on medium-low until thickened to your liking. Add vanilla extract and butter. Stir to incorporate.
For chocolate custard: add 1 tbsp of cocoa (unsweetened) to the sugar/ cornstarch/salt mixture at the outset. Alternatively, you can add a piece of chocolate to custard while it’s thickening (add chocolate as desired).
Cover in plastic wrap and allow to cool.
Assembly
Fill your baking dish with a single layer of biscuits (Note: the smaller the container you use, the taller the resulting biscuit cake).
Cover layer of biscuits with enough custard to cover the surface of all biscuits.
Place another layer of biscuits over the custard. Cover with custard.
Repeat above steps until all custard is used (Note: you should end on a custard layer).
Add shaved chocolate (+ walnuts) to the surface of the Bulgarian Biscuit Cake!
Refrigerate overnight (to allow the custard to soften the biscuits), cut, and enjoy!
Bulgarian Biscuit Cake (Biscvitena Torta)
Ingredients
- 1 package Biscuits such as regular Tea biscuits or arrowroot cookies
- 3 cups (710ml) Milk (2% m.f.)
- 2/3 cup (135g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp Vanilla Custard powder or additional cornstarch
- 1 Egg large
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- pinch of salt
Flavourings/Additions
- 1 tbsp Cocoa
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup (35g) Walnuts roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup (45g) Grated Chocolate
Instructions
Simple Custard
- In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, with cornstarch and salt. Mix to combine (Note: this is all done OFF-HEAT).
- Slowly add milk to the saucepan and stir ingredients together. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to thicken (Note: you may see or may not notice boiling however the mixture will be hot).
- In a small bowl, beat egg. While beating the egg, slowly incorporate a stream of the hot milk mixture into the egg.
- Remove saucepan from the heat and add all of egg mixture back into the milk mixture while whisking vigorously. Return saucepan to heat.
- Continue to stir on medium-low until thickened. Add vanilla extract and butter. Stir to incorporate.
- For chocolate custard: add 1 tbsp of cocoa (unsweetened) to the sugar/ cornstarch/salt mixture at the outset. Alternatively, you can add a piece of chocolate to custard while it's thickening (add chocolate as desired).
- Cover in plastic wrap and allow to cool.
Assembly
- Fill your baking dish with a single layer of biscuits (Note: the smaller the container you use, the taller the resulting biscuit cake).
- Cover layer of biscuits with enough custard to cover the surface of all biscuits.
- Place another layer of biscuits over the custard. Cover with custard.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all custard is used (Note: you should end on a custard layer).
- Add shaved chocolate (+ walnuts) to the surface of the Bulgarian Biscuit Cake!
- Refrigerate overnight, cut, and enjoy!
1 thought on “Bulgarian Biscuit Cake (Biscvitena Torta)”