SALAME DI CIOCCOLATO

(Chocolate salami)

An Italian staple of the 1970s, the salame di cioccolato remains a popular treat. The basic recipe uses Rich Tea biscuits, but it works very well with digestives or, if you like, ginger nuts. Like real salami, it gets better with time, so prepare it one or two days in advance to savour it at its best. For an alcohol-free version, replace the liqueur with freshly squeezed orange juice.

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MAKES UP TO 12 SLICES PREP TIME 20 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING TIME AND SETTING OVERNIGHT

H 60g egg (about 1 large egg)

H 40g caster sugar

H 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

H ⅛ tsp salt

H 90g dark chocolate chips, or bar broken into small pieces (70%-75% cocoa solids)

H 60g milk chocolate chips, or bar broken into small pieces (30%-35% cocoa solids)

H 30g unsalted butter

H 30g Strega liqueur or dark rum

H 60g Rich Tea biscuits or other light, crisp sweet variety

H 30g unsalted pistachios

H 30g toasted chopped hazelnuts

H about 50g icing sugar, for dusting 1 Put the egg, sugar, vanilla and salt in a small bowl then beat lightly with a fork or whisk to combine. Set aside.

2 Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl (preferably metal) large enough to hold all the ingredients. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring that the water does not reach the bottom of the bowl. Stir with a silicone spatula until the chocolate has melted and incorporated the butter. Lower the heat to the minimum and pour the egg mixture into the melted chocolate. Stir continuously over a minimum heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the liqueur. Line the surface of the mixture with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for about 1 hour, or until it has thickened up enough to be shaped.

3 Meanwhile, break the biscuits into 2cm chunks. Lay a large (about 40cm) sheet of baking paper on the worktop.

4 Take the chocolate mixture out of the fridge, add the biscuits, pistachios and hazelnuts and stir gently until well combined. Turn out the mixture on to the baking paper and roll the sheet over the mixture to shape it into a large sausage about 5cm thick and 25cm long, then secure it by twisting the ends of the paper.

5 Chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours, ideally overnight. When ready to serve, unwrap the salami and keep it on its baking paper. Dust it generously with icing sugar, roll it on to the baking paper and spread the sugar on it with your hands until thoroughly coated. Serve chilled, sliced on a chopping board. Salame di cioccolato keeps for up to a week in the fridge and can be frozen for up to a month.