Chocolate Salami

Active Time:

39 mins

Chill Time:

4 hrs

Total Time:

5 hrs

Yield:

2 (14-inch) salami

Throughout her prolific career, 1990 F&W Best New Chef Nancy Silverton has proven that great food doesn’t have to be fussy. In Silverton’s rendition of this whimsical dessert, bits of crisp, crunchy biscotti and nutty toasted pistachios add texture to brandy-spiked chocolate, all coming together to form a dessert “salami.” The name comes from the treat’s cylindrical shape and speckled cross-section. In Italy, it’s traditionally eaten for Easter or Christmas, but it is also served throughout the year with afternoon coffee. Plastic wrap makes shaping the salami easy; use a double layer to prevent the jagged edges of the chopped cookies and nuts from tearing holes as you go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is golden syrup?

Golden syrup is a traditional British sweetener. Also known as light treacle, it is a thick, pourable refined sugar syrup that is sweet and mildly caramel-like in flavor. Lyle’s is a common brand that is available at most grocery stores. You can also get it online at jubileegrocery.com.
What can you substitute for raw egg?

This recipe contains raw egg yolks. Use pasteurized eggs if you cannot have raw eggs. You can buy pasteurized eggs at some supermarkets.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Large egg yolks can be used instead of extra-large egg yolks.

Shaping the log is a bit of a messy process because the mixture is loose and very sticky, but it’s not difficult. You may need to wrap the log in several layers of plastic wrap, as some pieces of biscotti might pierce through it.

Make ahead

Chocolate salami can be stored, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to one week.

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Ingredients

1 cup raw unshelled pistachios
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate bars (70% cacao), coarsely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
10 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons golden syrup (such as Lyle’s) or light corn syrup
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) brandy or whiskey
1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
3 extra-large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
12 biscotti cookies (about 10 1/2 ounces), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
Powdered sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread pistachios on a baking sheet, and toast until light golden brown, 8 to 9 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Set aside, and let cool, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard pistachio shells. Set aside.
Fill a small saucepan with 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium. Place a small stainless steel bowl over top of pan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch water. Combine chocolate, butter, golden syrup, brandy, and vanilla in bowl, and heat until chocolate and butter are melted, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often and scraping bowl using a silicone spatula to prevent burning. Turn off heat, and remove bowl from pan. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and flaky sea salt in a large bowl. Drizzle in chocolate mixture, whisking constantly. Fold in pistachios and biscotti pieces until combined, scraping bottom of bowl to release any stuck ingredients.
Place 2 (about 18-inch-long) sheets of plastic wrap on a work surface. Divide chocolate mixture evenly into 2 portions, and use your hands to scrape 1 portion onto each piece of plastic wrap. Shape each portion into a 2-inch-thick log. Wash and dry your hands, and tightly wrap logs in plastic wrap, twisting ends closed like a candy wrapper. Refrigerate salami until firm, about 4 hours.
Before serving, place a sheet of parchment paper on a work surface. Unwrap chocolate salami logs, and place on parchment paper. If desired, tie logs using kitchen twine to resemble salami netting. Sift powdered sugar over logs, and roll logs in sugar that falls on parchment paper to evenly coat. Slice salami, and serve.

Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, July 2024