Chocolate Salami

Need an edible gift idea for Christmas? Well this might just be it!

Chocolate salami was originally a portuguese dessert. It is basically a soft chocolate filled with biscuits, nuts and fruit or whatever you desire! It is similar to a fridge cake or even hedgehog. There are many recipes for the chocolate, some are a ganache, others use condensed milk, some use cocoa, some real chocolate i think you can use whatever you have on hand. Traditionally chocolate, yolks, butter, sugar and port are used.

The recipe i found is from The British Larder and it has both a Thermomix and a normal method. The original recipe can be found here.

I amended my version slightly - i used shortbread biscuits, pistachios, macadamia nuts and dried cranberries in the filling. It also took me 3 minutes to melt the butter and 2 minutes to melt the chocolate.

Here is what i did

Chocolate Salami - adapted from The British Larder

Makes 2 logs

80g unsalted butter

200g dark chocolate

100g icing sugar

200g shortbread biscuits

80g macadamia nuts, chopped

80g dried cranberries

80g pistachios

2 egg yolks

80g Port Wine (or other liqueur)

1tsp vanilla extract

80g condensed milk

Pinch of salt

Coating

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ cup icing sugar

Break biscuits into small chunks and place in a bowl. Add nuts and cranberries and stir to combine. Add 40g port. 

In the Thermomix add butter and melt for 3 minutes at 50 degrees on speed 2. Add chocolate and melt for 2 minutes at 50 degrees on speed 2. Add yolks, sugar, condensed milk, salt, port and vanilla and cook for 6 minutes at 50 degrees on speed 2.  Pour over biscuit mixture and stir to combine. Let mixture rest for 20 minutes before shaping into two logs on clingfilm. Roll up clingfilm and tie up both ends to seal before placing in the fridge. When the logs are almost set roll log in a sushi mat to achieve the ridges, put back in fridge to set solid. 

Combine cocoa powder and icing sugar. Coat salami in icing mixture then wrap in clingfilm or paper  and store in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Sarah xx

Turkish Delight

I was set a challenge by a friend, who wishes to remain anonymous but let's just say he enjoys travelling ;) He wanted to see if turkish delight could be easily made in a Thermomix and i'm pleased to report it can! Now i know turkish delight is one of those things that divides people so if you don't like the rosewater flavour you could easily flavour it with other things such as lemon, vanilla, orange, peppermint etc etc. The great thing about turkish delight is that it sets as a gel - without gelatine! If you don't like eating it straight consider putting it in rocky road, icecream, slices... the list goes on. I'll try and make a few things with turkish delight in the upcoming weeks.

Although I gave it a test in the Thermomix which made the whole process very easy you could definitely do it in a saucepan. I halved the recipe as i wasn't sure if it'd work and i didn't want to make a huge quantity but it really is up to you. 

Here's what i did (this is the full recipe)

Turkish delight (makes about 40 large pieces)

950mL water

900g sugar

225g cornstarch (cornflour made from corn)

20mL rosewater (or whatever flavour you like)

10mL lemon juice

6.5g cream of tartar

red or pink food colour 

To coat

60g cornstarch

225g pure icing sugar.

In a heavy based saucepan place 250ml water, sugar and lemon juice and heat until the mix reaches soft ball stage (about 115*C). Do not stir. 

While this is happening place butterfly attachment into Thermomix bowl and add cornstarch and cream of tartar. Set time to 5 mins, temperature varoma, speed 2 and gradually add in remaining water ensuring no lumps are formed. At the end of this time it should be boiling and a thick paste should have formed (looks like clag!)

Set time to 60 mins, temperature 80, speed 2 and slowly pour in sugar syrup. In the meantime line a 20cm square tin with clingwrap. When the time is almost up (1 minute left) add rosewater and a drop of food colouring.

Quickly pour mixture into tin and smooth as fast as possible. It will set quite quickly. Allow to cool to room temperature then cover with cling film and leave to cool overnight.

Mix together coating ingredients.  Unwrap turkish delight and cut into squares. I found my knife cut through it easily with no sticking but if it starts to stick you can oil your knife. Toss pieces in coating mixture and enjoy! If you don't plan on eating straightaway i would advise not coating the pieces in the icing mixture as mine melted into the turkish delight after awhile. Just coat before serving :)

Sarah xx