a knife slicing into a roll of chocolate salami

Chocolate Salami Recipe by Chef Mica Talmor

This incredibly delicious Chocolate Salami recipe by Chef Mica Talmor of Pomella in Oakland, CA is sure to be a holiday favorite for dessert tables, gift-giving and more! It’s the perfect sweet, salty and crunchy treat. This Chocolate Salami recipe can easily be made in large batches so you have lots of treats to share!

two rolls of Chocolate Salami surrounded by bowls of the ingredients used to make the recipe

What is Chocolate Salami?

First things first – chocolate salami is a dessert. There is no meat in chocolate salami. It’s a delicious mix of fruits, nuts and crushed graham cracker that’s tightly rolled, like a salami (hence the name). It’s then sliced and served.

What ingredients are needed to make Chocolate Salami?

Graham crackers

Bittersweet chocolate

Butter

Nuts (Chef Mica used hazelnuts + pistachios)

Apple brandy

Citrus Zest

a white plate with slices of chocolate salami
slices of chocolate salami on a cutting board

How to make Chocolate Salami

Dice the prunes and let them soak in the brandy overnight.

Crush the graham crackers.

Combine the prunes, graham crackers, citrus zest + nuts.

Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth.

Add the chocolate + butter mixture to the prune and nut mixture. Mix well.

How to roll Chocolate Salami

Divide the mixture in half. Using a piece of plastic wrap, roll tightly into a log. Twist the ends tightly and refrigerate for at least four hours.

For a more authentic “salami” look, wrap with twine and roll in powdered sugar.

two rolls of chocolate salami on a wooden cutting board
a knife slicing into a roll of chocolate salami

Chocolate Salami Recipe by Chef Mica Talmor

Chef Mica Talmor
This incredibly delicious Chocolate Salami recipe by Chef Mica Talmor of Pomella in Oakland, CA is sure to be a holiday favorite for dessert tables, gift-giving and more! It's the perfect sweet, salty and crunchy treat. This Chocolate Salami recipe can easily be made in large batches so you have lots of treats to share!
4.60 from 5 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
soak overnight 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Chef Created, Holiday
Servings 10 servings
Calories 453 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 15 graham crackers 8 ounces / 225 g graham crackers
  • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 4 ounces 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 2 ounces 1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts
  • 2 ounces 1/3 cup pistachios
  • 4 ounces California prunes
  • 1/3 cup apple brandy
  • 1 tsp lemon zest about 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp orange zest about ½ orange

Instructions
 

  • Dice the prunes to ¼ (6 mm) inch (dice (6-9 pieces per prune). Soak in brandy overnight.
  • Crush graham crackers with your hands, or by rolling over them with a rolling pin. You should end up with uneven pieces from ½ inch (1cm) to tiny crumbs. Place in a three-quart size bowl.
  • Add the soaked prunes with extra brandy to the crumbs. Add the lemon zest, orange zest, and nuts.
  • Melt butter and chocolate together in a microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, and microwave for 20 – 30 seconds more. Stir again. You should have a lump-free, smooth mixture.
  • Add the chocolate-butter mixture to the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

To shape:

  • Place half of the mix on a large piece of plastic wrap. Roll into a log using the plastic wrap. Then hold the plastic wrap at both ends with each hand and twirl the log in the air. It will tighten around the mix and create a salami shape. Repeat with the other half of the mix. Refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.
  • For the full salami effect, tie with kitchen twine and/or dust with powdered sugar.

Notes

Other ingredient options:
  • Cookies: You can use any kind of crunchy cookie to make chocolate salami (graham crackers, as in the recipe, or butter cookies or ginger snaps). 
  • Alcohol: We use a nice apple brandy, but you can use any flavorful alcohol: bourbon, orange liqueur or no alcohol at all. Instead of alcohol, you can soak the prunes overnight in milk, water or prune juice in the fridge. If you like the flavor of alcohol but don’t want any alcohol in the finished chocolate salami, cook the alcohol out before soaking.
  • Nuts: You can use any nuts you like: coconut, almonds, etc.
Our friend Jerry James Stone developed this creative recipe for savory Peppered Vegan Salami – try that too!

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 6gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 105mgPotassium: 619mgFiber: 8gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 1145IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 3mg
Keyword chocolate salami, dessert
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About Chef Mica Talmor

Chef Mica Talmor is the executive chef at Pomella, an Oakland restaurant that creates Israeli dishes using locally grown and sourced foods. Pomella specializes in sustainably produced family-style dishes with Middle Eastern flavors.

If you’re in the Oakland area, head to Pomella and try the Chicken Tagine – another delicious dish made using California Prunes.

“I love using CA Prunes in our tagines and stew. They have the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and a bold flavor that elevates our broth. I also really like snacking on them while we prep; they are so fresh and moist.” – Chef Mica Talmor

Chef Mica Talmor of Pomella in Oakland holding a bowl of chicken tagine

Want to try a savory vegan salami?

slices of Peppered Vegan Salami by Jerry James Stone on a board with crackers and strawberries

Vegan Salami

Our friend Jerry James Stone made this delicious Vegan Salami using California Prunes. It’s the perfect addition to a graze board or vegan cheese tray!

Looking for more homemade chocolate + prune treats?

a serving plate with Chocolate covered prune and almond clusters from salt and wind

Chocolate Covered Prune and Almond Clusters 

When a recipe only calls for a few ingredients, quality counts. Our friend Aida uses premium chocolate, flaky Maldon sea salt – and of course, prunes and almonds from the Golden State!

a cooling rack with slices of No Bake Brownies from This Mess is Ours surrounded by bowls of some of the ingredients needed to make the recipe

No-Bake Brownies

Too hot to cook? Make our friend Meg‘s No-Bake Brownies! This decadent treat is naturally gluten-free, and loaded with healthy ingredients – but we won’t tell if you don’t!

Did you try this recipe? Maybe you’ve got a favorite recipe using California Prunes that you’d like to share with us? Snap a pic and share it on social using #caprunes.

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