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Christmas

Chocolate Salami

by:
October 24, 2011
4
3 Ratings
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Prep time 2 hours
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Makes one log
Author Notes

This easy, no-bake chocolate confection came about after seeing several recipes for it. The original recipes in "Artisan Patisserie for the Home Baker" were too complicated, so I simplified by eliminating the candied orange peel, and I added my own twist to it with orange zest, crystallized ginger, and orange liqueur-soaked cranberries. What I love about this Italian chocolate log is the playful way that it mimics a salami with its marbleized fat. I will be making several of these logs for the holidays and freezing them. —lakelurelady

Test Kitchen Notes

This is really excellent -- not too sweet, with the orange, ginger, and tart cranberries working well with the dark chocolate. I used a sleeve of crisp and rather plain honey cookies as the cookie component, but any crisp butter cookie or plain tea biscuit would work well.

The recipe is supposed to make one giant confection, but you could get two very nice gift-sized salamis out of it. You could also dust the exterior of the chilled log with confectioner’s sugar to increase the resemblance to a real salami. —gorboduc

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Ingredients
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup whole almonds
  • Zest of one orange
  • 1 cup butter cookie crumbs
  • 1/4 cup crystallized ginger slices, chopped
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
Directions
  1. Soak dried cranberries in water and orange liqueur for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. Melt chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and combined, 3 to 5 minutes. When melted, add the sugar, almonds, orange zest, drained cranberries, cookie crumbs, and crystallized ginger. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Cool for a few minutes. Add the beaten egg yolks and allow the mixture to come to room temperature.
  3. Form the chocolate mixture into a log, smoothing the surface to be sure none of the filling is sticking out. Wrap the log in wax paper and refrigerate until firm. Slice and serve.
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I have been a serious cook from the time I first took an introductory course in French Cooking from Irena Chalmers, a cookbook author and instructor at the CIA. My first love is French cooking but I also value the importance of fresh local ingredients. The freshest ingredients seasoned right and prepared with love will result in the perfect meal.

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26 Reviews

Write a Review
Jana E. January 6, 2020
These taste great! I also split mine into smaller logs. Mine were a lot more crumbly than the photo, not sure why, but still delicious.
Kim S. April 23, 2019
I would love to try this and make it sugar-free by substituting Pyure brand sweetener or Swerve-do you think that would work? Also, I have my own homemade dried cranberries that would go nicely I believe. Since I am following a keto diet, it would have to be sugar-free.
Smaug September 18, 2023
Bittersweet chocolate generally contains a lot of sugar; there is a company putting out sugar free chocolate that's supposed to be pretty good; can't remember the name, though. Orange liqueur would also contain sugar.
Giovanni C. December 3, 2014
What if i don't add eggs, still working the recipe?
lakelurelady November 29, 2018
Not sure. Haven't tried it that way. Anyone?
sandra September 20, 2023
I imagine if you made ganache then added the ingredients, it would be similar. (No eggs involved)
RavensFeast November 26, 2014
You should try dusting the salami log in powdered sugar to look like mold!
lakelurelady November 30, 2014
That is a great idea RavensFeast.
Sharon November 23, 2014
since you add the egg yolks at the point where the mixture is still quite warm shouldn't that allay fears about them being raw? It's not going to stop me from making it.
lakelurelady November 30, 2014
I would think that would be the case. But some people have a fear of raw eggs. I am fine with it because I know the source of my eggs and when in doubt I use pasteurized eggs.
lunule November 23, 2014
This sounds really delicious!
lakelurelady November 30, 2014
Thanks lunule.
lakelurelady November 20, 2014
Thank you gorboduc for your nice review. Great idea to make two logs out of the chocolate.
Erin H. November 12, 2014
Any idea how long this lasts in the fridge for or if it freezes? Any concern about the raw egg yolks?
lakelurelady November 13, 2014
I would think that it would keep in the refrigerator for at least a week. Freezing is possible, but I have not tried it. I try to use fresh organic eggs, but if you have any concerns you can buy pasteurized eggs. I hope you enjoy this treat! Thanks Erin.
lakelurelady November 13, 2014
I would say that the chocolate log would do well in the fridge for about a week. I have not tried freezing it, but do not think that would be a problem. I use organic eggs, but if you have any concern you can use pasteurized eggs. Thanks Erin. Hope you enjoy it!
vaughan November 7, 2012
what did you use for the butter cookie crumbs? thanks, looks great and i want to try it.
lakelurelady November 3, 2014
I used shortbread cookies. Sorry I did not respond originally. I just noticed your question.
jenniebgood November 8, 2011
Lakelurelady - I tested this last weekend and thought it was delicious. I love the little flecks of butter cookie and boozy cranberries - it's a great recipe!
lakelurelady February 23, 2012
Thank you jenniebgood!
duclosbe1 October 30, 2011
This is too cute and sounds really tasty. Yum! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
lakelurelady October 30, 2011
I am trying to edit this recipe. It should include 1 cup of butter cookie crumbs in the ingredient list.
lapadia October 30, 2011
Hi! Once we enter a recipe in a contest and while it is in the test kitchen we are not able to edit, later, unless you are a finalist you should be able to edit. But I saw cookie crumbs in step2 and in the ingredients it was written in (kinda), so I pretty much knew that to do. :0 thanks!
lapadia October 27, 2011
This sounds great, thanks for sharing your recipe!
lakelurelady October 30, 2011
Thanks lapadia. There is one ingredient missing in the ingredient list. 1 cup of butter cookie crumbs. I have not been able to edit it because of all of the problems with the new format.
lakelurelady October 30, 2011
Thanks lapadia. There is one item missing from the ingredients list; 1 cup of butter cookie crumbs. The new format is not allowing me to edit the recipe.