Salami! Chocolate! Chocolate salami!
I fell in love with this recipe as soon as I saw it. It’s just so different and quite stunning really.
I now have this fantasy of slathering two slices of shortbread with english clotted cream, then layering my chocolate salami between them and packing this sandwich for my lunch. I could tote my sandwich down to the river in my lunch bag, where I’d enjoy it with a hot cup of coffee and a book. Anyone want to join me? I’ll bring the sandwiches, you bring dessert.
This chocolate salami recipe, a truffle in disguise, can take any kind of add-ins you’d like to use – I’d just keep some kind of crushed cookie in there for texture. The original recipe calls for sliced almonds and chopped walnuts with the cookies. I’m looking forward to trying this all kinds of different ways – maybe next time with coconut, macadamia nuts, lime zest, and some dried pineapple for a tropical twist.
[Recipe] Chocolate Salami
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped (2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Two 5 inch long plain biscotti, coarsely crushed (or the equivalent in some other cookie)
6 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
12 oz bag chocolate chips
1/4 cup brewed coffee
1 tsp grated, chopped orange zest
1/2 cup icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Spread the pistachios and crushed biscotti in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are lightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely.
Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl and place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 minutes.
Stir in the coffee until smooth.
Add the nuts, cranberries, cookie pieces, and orange zest, and stir until combined.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate until firm but moldable, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Divide the chocolate mixture in half. Place half of the mixture in the center of an 18-inch-long piece of plastic wrap.
Using a spatula, and by rolling the mixture in the plastic wrap with your hands, form the mixture into a log, about 7 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Roll up the log in the plastic and twist the ends to seal. Roll back and forth on a work surface a few times to make the log evenly round.
Repeat with the remaining chocolate mixture. Refrigerate the logs until firm, about 1 hour, or until you’re ready to use them.
Spread the confectioners’ sugar on a dinner plate.
Remove the plastic wrap from the logs, then roll them in the sugar until coated. Using a pastry brush, brush away the excess icing sugar.
Let the logs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the logs into 1/2 inch slices and serve.
Note: The chocolate logs can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for 25 minutes before slicing.
