Portuguese Chocolate Salami

This Portuguese chocolate salami is a rich chocolate no bake slice made with cocoa powder and crunchy biscuits. Shaped into a sausage shape and rolled in icing sugar, it is a fun traditional Portuguese dessert.

What is Portuguese Chocolate Salami?

Portuguese chocolate salami, salame de chocolate, is an easy no bake chocolate dessert or treat made with cocoa powder and broken biscuits (cookies). It is pretty similar in ingredients and method to chocolate fridge cake, but it is then rolled into a sausage shape rather than placed in a tin to be chilled. Once set, the salami is then rolled in icing sugar / confectioners sugar which helps to highlight the ridges left from the clingfilm and create a treat that looks like a sweet salami! There are a number of versions of chocolate salami recipes from all over the world, many are pretty similar, and is sometimes known as Lazy Cake. Some use condensed milk, others add nuts. This recipe is similar to many egg-free versions I have seen for Italian chocolate salami, salame al cioccolato, too.

Related: Chocolate tiffin / Rocky road / Hedgehog slice

Why we love this recipe

• This sweet salami is a fun no bake treat to serve with coffee, after dinner or on a dessert board with Brigadeiro (Brazilian fudge balls) and fresh fruit.
• Nut free recipe – but of course you can add your favourite chopped nuts if you prefer.
• It takes just 10 minutes to prepare, then leave it in the fridge until you need to serve it!
• This salami is also suitable for freezing.
• I have made this salami recipe without alcohol to make it kid-friendly, however you can add a splash of port or brandy instead of the milk.

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Ingredient notes and substitutions

Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.

• Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter however you can use salted butter if you prefer, and omit the extra pinch of salt.
• Chocolate – use a good-quality 70% dark chocolate.
• Biscuits – traditionally Marie biscuits are used, however you can use digestive biscuits or other biscuits – see the ‘Variations’ section below for different cookie suggestions.
• Cocoa powder – I recommend you use Dutch processed cocoa powder for the richest taste and deepest colour.
• Icing sugar – confectioners sugar / powdered sugar for rolling the salami in.
• Milk – I prefer to use whole milk but you can use half fat or skim milk if you prefer.

How to make this Portuguese chocolate salami recipe

Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the full recipe.

1. Melt the butter then add the chopped chocolate.
   • To melt the butter: either melt in the microwave, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
   • TIP: Take off the heat, or don’t microwave again, when you add the chopped chocolate.
2. Stir the chocolate into the warm butter until it has melted.

3. Whisk in the icing sugar / confectioners sugar, cocoa and salt with a balloon whisk, then once the mixture starts to thicken, swap to a spoon.
   • TIP: It will look like the mixture is seizing but this is supposed to happen.
4. Stir in the broken cookies and milk.

5. Spoon the mixture onto cling film / plastic wrap and form into a long sausage shape 5cm / 2 inches in diameter. Wrap well then place in the fridge to set.
   • TIP: I find wrapping in two sheets of plastic wrap / clingfilm creates more pronounced ridges on the set salami which I prefer and think looks more ‘authentic.’
6. Once the chocolate salami has set, remove the plastic wrap from the chocolate sausage and lightly dust the surface with icing sugar then roll the salami in the sugar, rubbing it in with your hands.
   • TIP: The icing sugar coating not only looks pretty but stops the salami from becoming sticky.

7. Slice and serve.

FAQ

My recipe tips

• Don’t crush the cookies into too small pieces as this can make the salami crumble when you slice it.
• Take the chocolate salami out of the fridge 10 minutes before you want to cut it to make it easier to slice neatly.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the chocolate salami.

Serving Ideas

• Serve with tea or coffee.
• As part of a dessert platter with Brazilian condensed milk fudge balls, coconut chocolate bark and white chocolate bark together with some fresh berries or seasonal fruit.

Make ahead/storage

Fridge – store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freeze – wrap the salami well in cling film and then place in to a freezer safe bag of container. Freeze for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before slicing.

Variations

• Other biscuits / cookies: instead of the Marie biscuits you can use digestive biscuits, graham crackers, rich tea biscuits or shortbread. I have even made it with Danish brown cookies on one testing.
• Nuts: This is nut free chocolate salami recipe, however you could add some roughly chopped almonds or hazelnuts. Toast them first in a dry frying pan for extra flavour and allow them to cool before stirring in to the chocolate mixture.
• Chocolate: Milk chocolate is too sweet to use in this salami recipe, but you could use a combination of dark chocolate and milk chocolate if you prefer.

Ideas for leftover ingredients

• Marie biscuits – use instead of digestive biscuits to make s’mores.
• Cocoa Powder – chocolate coconut slice, chocolate orange cake or bourbon biscuits.
• Dark Chocolate – rocky road, Nussecken, or chop and add to chocolate pecan cookies.

Why not try…

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