This Chocolate 'Salami' is a fun treat that takes no time to make- easy to make, store and transport.
This log will give you a rich satisfying taste and you don't need plates or forks to serve it! It works equally as well on a Christmas cookie platter or in a picnic basket. It makes a fantastic summer supper treat for a cottage crowd when you want something fast and easy.
You can switch up the ingredients in this to suit your taste. The important thing is to start with good chocolate. I recommend at least 72% cocoa level.
The other thing to watch for is don't add extra biscuits or crush them too finely or it will be so dry it will crumble instead of slice. Salvageable but much better by the slice! Also don't be tempted to add additional nuts or dried fruit- you need to keep the chocolate to filling ratio so it will slice properly.
This is also really easy to make gluten-free just by choosing gluten-free biscuits.
You can choose the type of nuts you like best, switch up the dried fruit, or substitute the coffee for brandy or liqueur. Did you know though that coffee is a natural flavour enhancer for chocolate?
Be aware that if you switch dates to dried apricots, or coffee to liqueur you will get a sweeter version.
This is my favourite combination and it's kid-friendly but feel free to experiment! It makes a great addition to a platter of Christmas cookies too!
Update Sept 26, 2016: I originally posted this using dates but I have found that raisins help keep the moisture balance better than dates. Also - coffee enhances the taste of chocolate (don't worry you can't taste any coffee) but I like it with coffee better than liqueur. You can have liqueur on the side!
Related Recipes
Chocolate Salami
Ingredients
- ¼ cup finely chopped raisins (you can sub in dates but raisins make it moister)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ¼ cup black coffee
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 2 good quality chocolate bars 100 grams each
- 150 grams plain biscuits (like Social Tea) Use gluten free biscuits to make this a gluten free cookie)
- ¼ cup almonds roughly chopped
- ½ cup icing sugar (reserve 2 Tbsps to sift over finished log)
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Dissolve cocoa powder in coffee and steep raisins in coffee mix until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toast almonds pieces on a pie plate in one layer for approximately 13 minutes. Watch so they are toasty brown but not burnt.
- Melt butter in microwave. Break the chocolate bars into bite size pieces. Add about ¼ of pieces to hot butter and stir until pieces are melted. Continue to add chocolate pieces. Microwave about 20 seconds at a time as needed until all the chocolate is added and melted. This should only take a couple of minutes. Be careful not to burn the chocolate in the microwave.
- Place biscuits in a resealable bag and use a rolling pin to coarsely break them up. Don't get them too fine or they will make the end product too dry.
- Mix the biscuits, raisins & coffee mixture, nuts and melted chocolate, icing sugar, sea salt all together in a bowl. Don't overwork just stir until evenly mixed.
- On a piece of plastic wrap spoon the mixture into a long log about 12" long. Form the mixture into a sturdy log resembling the shape of a salami. Dust with reserved icing sugar. Seal up the plastic wrap and twirl the ends. Wrap with another piece of plastic.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Slice and serve!
- The log keeps well wrapped air tight for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
Margot Padalino
Awesome...no more store bought for me...you are in control of the chocolate!
thewineloverskitchen
You're on! It is so simple to make!