Rocky Road Chocolate Salami

I’m always a fan of something that looks like something else (I mean who doesn’t love a surprise) but we all don’t have the time or energy to try our hand at Heston’s Meat Fruit. So, what if I told you with a few ingredients and a saucepan, you can make this awesome rocky road chocolate salami. Looks like a salami, tastes like rocky road. Yes please.

I’ve made chocolate salami a couple of times before for clients so when deciding what to make for friends as edible gifts this year I thought it was a perfect fit. It is quick, easy and looks impressive – a true trifecta of minimal effort for maximum reward. And with a two year old now running around our house causing havoc, it felt like the best gift I could make with limited time (said toddler is why I’m so lax posting here these days so thanks for sticking around).

The recipe is really just chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, biscuits, nuts, turkish delight and marshmallows mixed together, but the real trick is making it look like salami. There are three things that you need to get right for maximum effect:

You need to roll a tight baking paper log with the mixture inside. This is best done by following this method which is very similar to how I roll mine.
Once the log has set, tying twine around it is integral in making it look like salami. If you’ve ever trussed a roast it is the exact same method. Here is video reference if you’ve never done this.
Using icing sugar to mimic the effect of the outside of a salami is the final step. This is done by sprinkling the salami with icing sugar and then using a pastry brush and lightly brushing down the length of the salami.

Ingredients

200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
200g milk cooking chocolate, chopped
200g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk, extra
150g arrowroot biscuits (or other plain sweet biscuit)
100g mini marshmallows
100g macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
100g pistachio nuts, whole
150g Turkish delight
4 tbsp icing sugar

Directions

Heat a medium saucepan with 2-3cm water over medium high heat until simmering then reduce heat to maintain a steady low simmer. In a large metal bowl combine dark and milk chocolate and butter then place bowl on top of the saucepan ensuring the base isn't touching the water and stir regularly until melted and combined.

Meanwhile in a large measuring jug combine sugar, vanilla bean paste, eggs and yolks and whisk to combine. Add this mixture to the melted chocolate mixture and stir constantly for about 6-8 mins until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

In another large bowl combine biscuits, marshmallows, nuts and Turkish delight. Add chocolate mixture to biscuit mixture and stir well. Working quickly, divide the mixture into four and roll into four logs using baking paper and this method (you can also use 2 layers of cling wrap rather than baking paper). Wrap in cling film and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours until firm. Once firm, remove each log from the baking paper and cling film and truss each log like a salami using this method. Sprinkle each log with 1 tbsp icing sugar all over and gently brush down the length of each salami with a pastry brush.

The salami will keep for one week in the fridge or one month in the freezer.