Origin: Italy, Portugal
Type: Dessert
Main Flavours: Chocolate, biscuits
About Chocolate Salami
Chocolate salami is a dessert that mimics the appearance of a savoury salami, but the taste has nothing in common! It is an entirely sweet dessert, typically made by combining crushed biscuits or cookies with a chocolate mix. The mixture is then shaped into a log, resembling a traditional salami, and sliced once firm. Chocolate salami originated in Italy, but quickly spread across Europe during the 20th century and became a beloved treat, especially in Eastern Europe, especially enjoyed during the holiday season and Christmas.
What Zsófi Says About Chocolate Salami:
This is the only dessert of my article about Eastern European food, and it’s a good one. Chocolate salami is a rich chocolatey dessert that doesn’t even require any baking. All you need to do is mix cocoa powder, sugar, rum, and crumbled cookies, shape it into a log or salami shape, and refrigerate until completely firm and easy to slice with a knife. It is quite popular mainly due to its ease and complete deliciousness. I associate the Chocolate Salami with Christmas time but many families will eat it whenever they fancy and I believe that is a better strategy that we should all adopt.
Chocolate Salami Recipe
Chocolate Salami Ingredients
200g plain biscuits or cookies
100g dark or milk chocolate
100g unsalted butter
100g powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g chopped nuts and/or dried fruit (optional)
Chocolate Salami Instructions
Crush or break up the biscuits into small pieces. You can either use a food processor or put them into a sealed plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or similar; either way, make sure not to break them up into too fine pieces.
In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate and butter together. You can either do this over a Bain-Marie (a bowl over a pan of simmering water) or by microwaving in short bursts and stirring in between.
Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
Add the crushed biscuits (and nuts and/or dried fruits if you’re using them) and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Lay out a sheet of parchment paper or thick plastic wrap and transfer the mixture onto it, shaping it into a log around 15 centimetres long.
Roll the log tightly in the parchment paper or plastic wrap, twisting the ends to secure it.
Chill for at least two hours (but ideally overnight), then roll it in powdered sugar to give the outside a salami-looking effect. Slice with a sharp knife and enjoy!