Italian Chocolate Salame & Nostalgia
Italian Chocolate Salame is a classic dessert that brings back nostalgic memories for me of our life in Italy during the holidays.
I remember my children being small and taking them to visit the Christmas markets where they would beg for a funnel cake with Nutella. Wide eyes sparkling with delight over a ride on the Ferris Wheel or walking over frozen Lago di Braies.
The Christmas season is absolutely magical in Italy.
Christmas markets.
Twinkling lights strung from stone building to stone building.
Wreaths hanging on old world wooden doors and iron balconies.
Nativity scenes everywhere.
Images of Babbo Natale and La Befana as bambini wait for their arrival.
Christmas culinary delights.
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A Traditional Italian Dessert
The Christmas season is a wonderful time of the year for traditions and sweets. With parties and family get-togethers, it’s an opportunity to savor a decadent dessert.
Italian Chocolate Salame is a traditional choice that most Italian children will be looking forward to this time of year along with the classics, Panettone and Pandoro.
What is Italian Chocolate Salame?
What exactly is Italian Chocolate Salame? Simply put, it’s a no-bake, refrigerated chocolate cake.
The first time I saw this dolce, I was impressed. A friend of mine brought it to a Christmas party in Rome and I asked her about it. At first, I really did think it was a normal salame of some kind. When she told me it was chocolate, I was amazed. But the taste was even better!
I enjoy desserts that aren’t overpowered by sugar. Rather, you can really taste the individual flavors. Italian Chocolate Salame is that.
The Perfect Recipe for Christmas
Salame di Cioccolato is the perfect recipe for Christmas, made with chocolate and crumbled cookies. However, there are many variations to this traditional, Christmas dessert. I like to make mine with pistachios and hazelnuts. The bits of green make it extra festive.
If you want to get really creative, you can impress your holiday guests by tying string around the molded chocolate to resemble cured salami. Or, you can simply sprinkle it with powdered sugar as I do.
This recipe is also easy, low-cost, no bake, and takes little time to prepare. You can make it the day before and keep it in the refrigerator. If you don’t eat it all, it will keep in the fridge for several days. You can even freeze it. Just be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap and then place it in a plastic bag. It will keep for about a month.
How to Make Italian Chocolate Salame
What You'll Need
Salame di Cioccolato Recipe Ingredients:
¼ cup (200 g) confectioner’s sugar
2 medium eggs
5 oz (150 g) butter at room temperature
7 oz (200 g) chopped, dark chocolate
2 tbsp rum (optional)
¼ cup (70 g) shelled chopped pistachios
¼ cup (70 g) peeled and chopped hazelnuts
7 oz (200 g) crumbled cookies
1 1/2 tbsp cacao
confectioner’s sugar for decoration
*note: you should avoid this recipe if you are concerned about egg safety as the eggs are not cooked.
The Method
- Chop the chocolate and melt in a double broiler.
- Crumble the cookies and place them into a large bowl.
- Place the room temperature butter (sliced into small pieces) into a separate bowl and stir until the butter is creamy.
- Add the melted, cooled chocolate to the butter mixure and stir until it is all mixed together well.
- Add the eggs, rum, and cacao and mix well.
- Add the cookie crumbles to the chocolate mixture until well combined.
- Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper and pour the mixture on top. Using the paper, form the mixture into the shape of salame by rolling and molding with your hands on top of the paper. Wrap well and twist the ends of the paper as this will create lines that resemble the ends of salame.
- Place the Chocolate Salame in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with sprinkled powdered sugar on top and cut into slices.
Salame di Cioccolato
Salame di Cioccolato is the perfect recipe for Christmas, made with chocolate and crumbled cookies. However, there are many variations to this traditional, Italian Christmas dessert. I like to make mine with pistachios and hazelnuts. The bits of green make it extra festive.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (200 g) confectioner's sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 5 oz (150 g) butter at room temperature
- 7 oz (200 g) chopped, dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp rum (optional)
- ¼ cup (70 g) shelled chopped pistachios
- ¼ cup (70 g) peeled and chopped hazelnuts
- 7 oz (200 g) crumbled cookies
- 1 1/2 tbsp cacao
- confectioner's sugar for decoration
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate and melt in a double broiler.
- Crumble the cookies and place them into a large bowl.
- Place the room temperature butter (sliced into small pieces) into a separate bowl and stir until the butter is creamy.
- Add the melted, cooled chocolate to the butter mixure and stir until it is all mixed together well.
- Add the eggs, rum, and cacao and mix well.
- Add the cookie crumbles to the chocolate mixture until well combined.
- Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper and pour the mixture on top. Using the paper, form the mixture into the shape of salame by rolling and molding with your hands on top of the paper. Wrap well and twist the ends of the paper as this will create lines that resemble the ends of salame.
- Place the Chocolate Salame in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with sprinkled powdered sugar on top and cut into slices.
Notes
* It will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
* You can freeze it. Just be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap and then place it in a plastic bag. It will keep for about a month.
* Note that you should avoid this recipe if you are concerned about egg safety as the eggs are not cooked.
