Valentines... or anytime chocolate "salamis" as gifts or a special treat!

This is a festive fudge that is created by shaping the chocolate into a salami and dusting it with powdered sugar. The recipe was shared with me by an Italian friend who “skyped” this delightful recipe with a cooking partner in Italy. 

Be creative with different variations, such as adding a little chili powder for a Mexican chocolate version, adding dried fruit, different liquors, and hazelnuts or macadamia nuts.**

8 ounces of good quality bittersweet chocolate

1 stick of unsalted butter, chopped into pieces

1 T. Dutch cocoa

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

2 t. GF vanilla extract

½ cup nuts of choice (I prefer pecans or black walnuts)

1 box Pamela’s gluten free shortbread cookies, broken into chunks*

Powdered sugar

Carefully melt the chocolate on medium temperature in the microwave at 30 second intervals or until melted and easy to stir. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Add the cocoa, condensed milk, and vanilla and continue to stir. Gently fold in the chunked cookies and allow to cool to room temperature.

Place cooking parchment on an oblong cookie sheet. Pour one half of the mixture onto the parchment and roll into a tube shape about 8 inches long by 3 inches in diameter, making certain to fold over the ends of the tube so that the mixture doesn’t ooze out the ends of the parchment

casing. Repeat with remaining mixture and twist the ends to secure the salamis.

Tightly encase the salamis in foil and place in the refrigerator for a few hours until firm. (You may choose to re-shape the salami as it chills and sets up, creating a more perfect “tube” shape.) Roll in powdered sugar for a “dusted” salami appearance.** Slice into ½ inch slices when serving.

Makes: Two 8 inch x 3 inch “salamis”.

Notes: *For a variation, use Pamela’s Peanut Butter cookies in place of the shortbread cookies.

**For a gift presentation, wrap the finished, sugar-dusted salami in a little waxed paper or baking parchment. Now wrap in festive paper or fabric, tying the ends with ribbon or raffia and attaching a gift tag. Keep in mind that this is fudge, so it should be kept chilled until ready to slice and serve.

This recipe is available in my second GF cookbook: The Farmer's Daughter Cooks Gluten Free". Go to www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org to purchase.