Chocolate salami is something I first discovered at a Christmas market a few years ago, and while it looks really impressive, it's essentially just a fridge cake, formed into a salami shape, with added string for effect.
And it really is stunning, isn't it? My version of spiced chocolate salami is extra Christmasy thanks to cranberries, pistachios, orange zest and Schwartz ground cinnamon and whole cloves.
They all work together to bring texture and flavour to the salami perfectly without overpowering that gorgeous, creamy chocolate. If you haven't experimented with infusing chocolate with spices before, you're in for a treat!
Now, during the festive season, there's so much to do that I'm always on the lookout for recipes I can make in advance. It's not unusual for me to start cooking a full week before the big day, but of course, some things keep better than others.
This Christmas spiced chocolate salami not only looks amazing, it also keeps beautifully in the fridge for at least a week so you can make, wrap and store ahead of time, ready for the big day.
From cutting off a thin slither for a quick treat, to a chunky slice for an after-dinner dessert this spiced chocolate salami is just like the real thing, except much more chocolatey. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) milk chocolate
- 10 whole cloves
- 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 orange zested
- 50 g (1.8 oz) pistachios
- 50 g (1.8 oz) cranberries
- 50 g (1.8 oz) dark chocolate (bittersweet) diced
- 50 g (1.8 oz) white chocolate diced
- 120 g (4.2 oz) digestive biscuits (graham crackers) broken into chunky crumbs
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Put the milk chocolate and cloves in a large heatproof bowl and melt gently in the microwave or over a bain-marie.
Stir a fork around the chocolate to remove the cloves - count them out to make sure you find all ten.
Add the butter, golden syrup and cinnamon to the bowl and stir until melted and smooth.
Add the orange zest and stir through.
Add the pistachios, cranberries, dark chocolate, white chocolate and digestives.
Stir well until everything is evenly coated.
Place a doubled up length of cling film on your countertop and tip the mixture on to it, forming into a rough oblong.
Carefully roll up the clingfilm, forming the mix into a sausage shape, twist and tie the ends to seal.
Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set. (TIP: I find it helps to rest the salami on a ruffled tea towel to cushion it, so that it doesn't sink flat as it sets). Once set, cut away the ends of your clingfilm and unwrap.
Cover all over with a generous dusting of icing sugar.
Grab some food-safe string and tie around one end of the salami.
Either wrap the string in a spiral, or the images below to create that classic salami pattern along the length, tying off at the end.
When you're ready to serve, simply cut into slices.
Isn't it effective?
Let me know if you try this delicious little spiced chocolate salami. And if you're after more Christmas recipes be sure to check out my Festive Makes sections for lots more really delicious stuff.
Are you tempted to have a go at infusing chocolate with spices at home?
Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Christmas spiced chocolate salami
Is Christmas spiced chocolate salami easy to make?
This recipe is super simple, and a great one to do with the kids as they can help break up the chocolate chunks and biscuits ready to mix into the Christmas spiced chocolate.
Wow and confuse family and friends with this festive salami, also perfect as a gift as it keeps for more than a week in the fridge.
Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?
You should be able to find everything you need in the average kitchen. Weighing scales, and measuring spoons, a large microwave-safe bowl to melt the chocolate in. Chopping board, and knife, a zester, and cling-film. The full list of equipment can be found on the recipe card below.
Is Christmas spiced chocolate salami suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, this recipe is totally suitable for vegetarians as it contains no meat or fish products.
Is Christmas spiced chocolate salami suitable for vegans?
No, as it is this recipe would not be suitable for vegans because of the white and milk chocolate, digestive biscuits and butter used to make this festive salami.
I haven’t tried making a vegan version of this but you could give it a go with a few simple switches.
Firstly the chocolates, in the UK it is becoming much easier to find vegan versions of milk and even white chocolate so have a look and see what you can find. You might like to use dark chocolate for the main body of the salami and use vegan milk chocolate as the chunks.
For the butter simply use a plant-based alternative that behaves similarly to butter, you want one that melts well and doesn’t split when it's melted.
And finally the biscuits, some digestive biscuits are vegan now so just double check the packets to find one that is, or use your favorite vegan biscuits.
Is Christmas spiced chocolate salami gluten-free?
For this recipe, I’m using wheat-based digestive biscuits, so this is not gluten-free. You can easily use gluten-free biscuits instead if you are making this for someone who needs to avoid gluten in their diet.
Is Christmas spiced chocolate salami healthy?
This recipe is jam-packed with spiced chocolatey deliciousness so should be eaten as a festive treat in a sensible portion.
Is Christmas spiced chocolate salami safe to eat while pregnant?
There is nothing in the recipe that should pose a risk to a pregnant woman, as long as all the ingredients are in good condition, and this festive salami is made safely and hygienically.
What goes well with Christmas spiced chocolate salami?
This recipe makes a perfect festive gift, and goes so well with a good cuppa, or why not serve thin slices with a coffee after Christmas dinner.
Can I make this recipe without cranberries?
If you don’t like cranberries, or someone who will be eating this can’t have them why not use a different dried fruit instead.
You can be flexible with the fruit and nut elements of this recipe, just make sure to keep the amounts the same to not overload the mixture.
Dried apricots or figs work really well, chop any larger fruits into smaller pieces so they will spread evenly throughout the mixture.
I haven’t got golden syrup can I use maple syrup or treacle?
The golden syrup is bringing flavour, as well as sweetness and structure to this spiced chocolate salami, for balance it would be best if you could use the golden syrup as it is thicker than maple syrup.
That said maple syrup or runny honey would work too. Adding treacle will add a rich toffee flavour to the salami, if you’re using treacle instead start with just 1 tablespoon full and give the mixture a taste as it may be overpowering if you add too much.
Can I add extra dried fruit and nuts to this recipe?
It’s best to keep the quantities the same as the recipe, if you add more without increasing the amount of chocolate it will be overloaded and not set properly.
If you want to play around with different flavours you could make two smaller salamis by divided the chocolate mix in half between two bowls, and then divided the fillings between the two, don’t forget to use half the amount for each bowl!
How should I store Christmas spiced chocolate salami?
I like to keep the Christmas spiced chocolate salami in the fridge, this way it keeps for longer and is easier to cut up. It’s important to keep this in the fridge because it contains fresh butter.
How long does Christmas spiced chocolate salami keep?
Christmas spiced chocolate salami will keep in the fridge for up to 10 days, it never lasts that long in our house!
Can I leave Christmas spiced chocolate salami out on the counter?
You can leave this out for serving but it's not a good idea to leave it out for long periods of time. You can keep any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge.
Can I make Christmas spiced chocolate salami ahead?
Yes, this recipe keeps really well in the fridge, so you can make it a few days ahead, you could even make double the amount and give one as a gift.
Can I keep Christmas spiced chocolate salami in the refrigerator?
Yes, it’s best to keep this Christmas spiced chocolate salami in the fridge because it contains fresh butter.
Can I freeze Christmas spiced chocolate salami?
I haven’t tried freezing this recipe yet, but it theory it should freeze just fine.
You might want to cut it into slices before you freeze it so you can just get out what you need.
Separate the slices with baking paper or cling film and wrap well before putting into a sealed container and popping in the freezer, this should keep in the freezer for up to a month.
If you know you want to freeze some it's best to do so as soon as you can after the chocolate salami has set, so you're preserving it when it's freshest.
What is the best way to defrost this recipe?
It’s important to keep this at a low temperature when defrosting, so best to do so overnight in the fridge.
Just get out the slices you want to defrost and pop them on a plate in the fridge. Once thawed consumer within 24 hours, and don’t refreeze already frozen chocolate salami.
Can I make Christmas spiced chocolate salami in a different quantity?
Yes, if you’d like to make several salamis to give as gifts or a smaller one for just a few people it couldn’t be simpler.
Head down to the recipe card below where you’ll see this recipe is set to 15 slices, which makes quite a big chocolate salami. Take a look at the photos of the salami being wrapped in string to give you a sense of scale with my hand in the photo.
To change the quantities simple click on the number of servings on the recipe card and a slider will appear that you can adjust up and down. Move the slider until you get the number of servings you wish to make.
All the ingredients will update automatically. If you’re making lots more of this you might find it easier to do in batches or use a few bowls at the same time.
Can I make Christmas spiced chocolate salami into individual portions?
As the pieces of dried fruit and biscuits are quite big it might be difficult to make very small individual salamis. You could divide the mixture in half and make two smaller ones, I think any smaller than that will start to get a bit tricky to roll up effectively.
Can I make Christmas spiced chocolate salami in a different tin/tray?
As this is basically just fridge cake rolled into a salami shape you could of course simply grease a cake tin and use that instead, though obviously, you wouldn’t get the same impressive sausage effect.
If you have a small bundt tin another option could be to line that with cling film and spread your mixture into the tin, once set turn it out and peel off the cling film to reveal a chocolate wreath instead of a salami!
Can I make this recipe in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?
If you find it easier to use a KitchenAid to do the mixing for you then you can.
Melt the chocolate with the cloves in a microwave-safe bowl, retrieve all the cloves and then transfer the spiced chocolate into your stand mixer bowl. Along with the butter, golden syrup, and cinnamon, mix on low with the paddle attachment until the butter has melted and everything is well combined.
Now add the dried cranberries, pistachio and biscuit pieces, orange zest, and chocolate pieces. You might want to add these a few at a time as to not overload the bowl, mix again on slow until everything is well coated.
You may need to stop and start a bit, scraping the bowl down with a spatula as you go to help get everything well incorporated.
How do I melt the chocolate without a microwave?
If you don’t have a microwave you’ll need to use a bain marie or double boiler.
Using a small to medium size pan fill about ¼ of the way up the pan with water and set over a medium heat. Find a heatproof bowl that fits comfortably over the pan, resting on the sides without the base of the bowl touching the water.
You can now melt your chocolate in the bowl as the water below simmers. Add the cloves to infuse that lovely festive spice into the chocolate as it melts.
As soon as the chocolate has started to melt you can turn off the stove, the residual heat should be enough to finish melting the chocolate. Be careful, the bowl will be hot, and hot steam will escape when you lift the bowl off.
How do I get the icing sugar to stick to the outside?
Once the chocolate salami has set you can unwrap it from the cling film. You don’t need to add anything to the outside of the chocolate before dusting with icing sugar it should nicely fall and fill in the cracks and creases made by the cling film.
As you handle the salami to wrap with string more and more of the icing sugar will fall off but I think this adds to the mottled look on the outside making it look more like actual salami.
Can I use beeswax wraps instead of cling film?
I haven’t tried using beeswax wraps for this recipe, but I think it should work. The outside will probably have a smoother finish because the beeswax wraps won't hold the chocolate in the same way as cling film. It will also be more difficult to tightly wrap the ends, you could use a peg or rubber band to hold ends closed. Give it a go and let me know how you get on!
How can I make sure this Christmas spiced chocolate salami is perfectly set?
My top tip for making sure this chocolate salami turns out looking as convincing as it can is to rest in on a few scrunched up tea towels in the fridge, this will help support the shape of the salami so the mixture isn’t tempted to flatten out.
Give the chocolate salami plenty of time to set, at least 2 hours but you can leave it wrapped up for longer if you like and just add the final dusting of icing sugar, and decorative string before serving.
Why did my Christmas spiced chocolate salami turn out wet and not set?
This is a pretty foolproof fridge cake recipe so as long as all the steps were taken and ingredients added in the correct quantities this should set just fine.
Make sure to give the chocolate salami plenty of time to set in the fridge, at least two hours. If it still feels soft to touch leave it for another hour before trying to unwrap.
If you’ve used a different quantity of dried fruit this will affect how well it sets, some dried fruits like apricots are actually quite moist and if there isn't enough chocolate to thoroughly coat everything it won’t set properly.
Why did my salami crumble and fall apart?
This is probably because too much fruit and biscuits have been added, or the pieces were too big to be evenly coated in chocolate.
When preparing the ingredients make sure to weigh everything out carefully following the recipe.
Keep mixing until everything is well covered in melted chocolate, any dry clumps will create weak points making it more likely to fall apart.
How can I add/change the flavours in this Christmas spiced chocolate salami?
This recipe is really flexible, you can play around with the spices, and use chocolate in different ways, also the fruit and nut element can be adapted to different tastes. Make sure to chop any large dried fruits or nuts into smaller pieces and keep the total amount of filling the same as the recipe states. Here are some ideas to get you going.
- Melt white chocolate and infuse cardamom pods and cinnamon, lemon zest, chopped dried figs and walnuts with milk and dark chocolate pieces and rich tea biscuits
- Melt vegan dark chocolate and infuse with cloves and ground ginger, orange zest, chopped crystalised ginger, and hazelnuts with vegan milk chocolate and dark chocolate pieces and vegan digestive biscuits.
Using salted nuts would also be a great way to cut through the sweetness of the chocolate and add a savoury edge.
Print this chocolate salami recipe
If you’d like to print this recipe to try at home, just hit the grey PRINT button on the recipe card below.
Christmas Spiced Chocolate Salami Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) milk chocolate
- 10 whole cloves
- 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 orange zested
- 50 g (1.8 oz) pistachios
- 50 g (1.8 oz) cranberries
- 50 g (1.8 oz) dark chocolate (bittersweet) diced
- 50 g (1.8 oz) white chocolate diced
- 120 g (4.2 oz) digestive biscuits (graham crackers) broken into chunky crumbs
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Put the milk chocolate and cloves in a large heatproof bowl and melt gently in the microwave or over a bain-marie.
- Stir a fork around the chocolate to remove the cloves - count them out to make sure you find all ten.
- Add the butter, golden syrup and cinnamon to the bowl and stir until melted and smooth.
- Add the orange zest, pistachios, cranberries, dark chocolate, white chocolate and digestives. Stir well until everything is evenly coated.
- Place a doubled up length of cling film on your countertop and tip the mixture on to it, forming into a rough oblong.
- Carefully roll up the clingfilm, forming the mix into a sausage shape, twist and tie the ends to seal.
- Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set. (TIP: I find it helps to rest the salami on a ruffled tea towel to cushion it, so that it doesn't sink flat as it sets).
- Once set, cut away the ends of your clingfilm and unwrap, then cover all over with a generous dusting of icing sugar.
- Grab some food-safe string and tie around one end of the salami. Either wrap the string in a spiral, or tie one ring after the other to get that classic salami pattern along the length, tying off at the end.
- When you're ready to serve, simply cut into slices.
Video
Nutrition
This is a commissioned post for Schwartz.
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