Chocolate Salami

Another favorite at Santa Chiara was chocolate salami.  We got dessert (rather than fruit) on Wednesday and Sunday nights and cheers would literally erupt in the dining room when we saw them carrying out trays of chocolate salami.  We were fascinated by how simple it was and could never really figure out how it was made.

Toast up chopped nuts and biscotti (crush your biscotti smaller than this if you want your salami to form better and slice easier).

I love aprons, but I usually forget to put them on until I am done cooking. Except when chocolate...or tomato sauce...is involved. I am notorious for getting chocolate all over me.

Melt chocolate and butter over a double broiler.

Mix in toasted nuts and biscotti and refrigerate.

Scoop on to plastic wrap...

and form into a log. Place back in refrigerator to set up.

Roll in powdered sugar and dust off excess.

Slice up and serve.

This recipe is not the one that we had abroad, but I watched Giada make it the other day and really wanted to try it.  Although it tasted a little different (more crunch), it was just as good as I remember it.

CHOCOLATE SALAMI - 2 logs

Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis’ Chocolate Dessert Salami

(printable version)

Her original recipe called for orange zest and coffee, but I prefer to keep my chocolate pure. I also used almond biscotti because it was at my farmer’s market. When slicing it is important to use a very sharp knife and allow to get to room temperature.

Ingredients:

½ cup slivered almonds (2 ½ ounces)

½ cup chopped walnuts (2 ½ ounces)

Two 5-inch long plain biscotti, crushed into small bits, but not dust

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces, at room temperature

One 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips, such as Ghirardelli or Guittard

¼ cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the almonds, walnuts and crushed biscotti in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast until the nuts are lightly toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely.

Put the butter and chocolate in a double broiler or heatproof medium bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the almonds, walnuts, and biscotti pieces and stir until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until firm but moldable, 1 hour.

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 (or 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. Carefully 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.

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 or your finger, lightly brush away the excess sugar. Let the logs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the logs into ½-inch-thick slices and serve.

Cook's Note: The dessert can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature for 25 minutes before slicing.

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