Chocolate Salami is not a sausage stuffed with chocolate. Sorry if you were looking for it! Instead, this Italian dessert features dark chocolate, cookies, nuts, and a bit of rum mixed together to create a sweet and crunchy perfection. Only 20 minutes of prep and no baking required!
Chocolate salami? What the bloody hell is this? Sweet chocolate mixed with ground beef, pork or whatever and cured in a dark cellar? Ewww. Well, let's not be so categorical. I easily believe that such a sausage exists somewhere in the world and there are people who actually love it, so I don't want to hurt their feelings right now. After all, we are cooking the globe in search for new tastes here, right? But not this time. I can almost hear your sighs of relief through the screen, ha! So what this chocolate salami is after all?
Chocolate salami (salame di cioccolato in Italian) is a dessert popular in Italy and Portugal. It is made from dark chocolate, plain cookies (tea biscuits, digestive cookies, Graham crackers), rum and sometimes nuts or dried fruits. Cookies replicate the fat of a sectioned salami, hence the name. The shape of the dessert looks exactly like a sausage too! It comes handy during parties, when you can trick your guests into thinking that's it's a real deal. Plus it's so easy to make!
Wikipedia says that this dessert became popular across Europe and is absolutely right. Actually, I grew up with this chocolate log because my mom made it numerous times (just without the alcohol) and no, I am neither Italian nor Portuguese! I always thought that it was Russian and that it came to my country from there. Oops. It's amazing how the world works. You can eat something for your whole life without even knowing that the same dish exists on the other side of the world, just with the different name!
By the way, in my country this chocolate salami is called a "Slacker", perhaps because it is so effortless. You can't be too lazy to make a "slacker", right? It would be ridiculous! I guarantee you that everyone can make this delicious dessert. Kitchen is your worst nightmare and you don't even know how to boil and egg? Still doesn't matter because you will nail this one!
The combination of bittersweet dark chocolate, almonds, pistachios and a touch of rum creates an orgasm in your mouth. I would have it every day, if my wife would let me. It's so good.
Chocolate salami can be served with after-dinner liqueurs, cup of coffee or tea. Is your mouth watering already? Just go and make it!
Italian Chocolate Salami - Salame di Cioccolato
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200g) dark chocolate, chopped
- 3 oz (85g) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (70g) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 6 oz (170g) plain cookies (tea biscuits, Graham crackers, digestive cookies), crushed
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) dark rum (can be omitted if made for children)
- 1 cup mixed nuts (I've used ½ cup unsalted pistachios +½ cup blanched almonds but you can substitute with any nuts you want), toasted and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Mix chocolate and butter in a pot and melt it over another pot of boiling water.
- In a bowl, mix vanilla extract, sugar, brown sugar, egg and yolk. Add to the chocolate mixture and mix well. Stirring frequently, continue to cook until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth (about 4-5 minutes). It should be hot to touch. Remove from heat.
- Add crushed cookies, rum and chopped nuts to the chocolate mixture and stir with spatula until well combined. Leave to cool and thicken slightly.
- Divide the mixture evenly between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it up to form two logs. Twist the ends tightly and leave in a fridge overnight.
- Unwrap the logs and coat with powdered sugar. You can tie them like a real salami with string (there are plenty of instructions on Youtube) or just leave it unstrung. Cut into slices and serve. Enjoy!
- Salame di Cioccolato can be stored well wrapped in a fridge for up to 1 week or for up to 1 month in a freezer.
Nutrition
Natasha @ Salt and Lavender
Ok, this looks great. Your post made me laugh. Pinning!
Igor
The very first comment on this blog. So happy! Thanks Natasha!
Stephanie Civitareale
Going to make this today for my mum's birthday! I think she would definitely appreciate something a little bit different, and Nonna would be so impressed with this, hopefully! Fingers crossed I can find some cheap pistachios today, because they're quite expensive here in Australia! I'll also make a run-free one for my pregnant sister-in-law as her birthday present too. Thanks for posting this!
Stephanie
thethriftyvegetarian.com
Igor
Stephanie, I am sure your mum and Nonna will love it! You can easily substitute pistachios with any other nuts you want. I’ve added them mostly for that appealing green color 🙂
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
This is such a wonderful post. I can't wait to try this! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Wonderful photography, btw!
Elaine
Igor
Thanks so much, Elaine! Photography is the thing I am working really hard on at the moment, so it's nice to get some compliments!
Lindsay @ Veggie Balance
I've really loved coming to your site each week with your dishes! This one - OH MY WORD. I'm making a gluten-free version of this STAT. 😉
Igor
Gluten-free version sounds good, Lindsay! Hope you will love it 🙂
Julie Palemro Hambrick
Very excited to make this! I already make Pizzelles as Christmas gifts and to bring to my annual Italian families Italian Sausage making. I made homemade cannoli's ONCE - too much work! I believe I will be adding this, this year! Thank you!
Igor
Thanks for the comment, Julie. I am pretty sure you and your friends / family will love this chocolate salami!
Sandra
Hello Igor,
Thank you for this recipe. Haven't made it but I know it will become a family favorite. I made something similar but without the pistachios/nuts and liquor. Going to make this recipe as we love pistachios and nuts and rum. I made the recipe in a small loaf pan and that worked well for me. I just purchased some Italian Chocolate tea biscuits and will try using them for the serious chocolate lovers in my family. I can't forget a dollop of freshly whipped cream on each serving! Cheers!
Igor
Your comment made me craving this chocolate goodness again, Sandra! Italian chocolate tea biscuits sound like a great idea 🙂 There is never too much chocolate!