Breakfast & Desserts/ Other Desserts/ Russian Monday

Russian Monday: “Shokoladnaya Kalbaska” – Chocolate Biscuit “Salami” with Walnuts & Rum (no bake)

Taste of childhood time treats is something we remember all our lives and taste of “chocolate salami” is one of those “old time favorites”. While back during Soviet Union times, with all kinds of shortages and deficits of many common items and foods, having a full plate of sliced meat sausage on the dinner table was a sign of a material well-being of a family. Such table looked happy and respectable and hosts – welcoming and attentive. However, sometimes guests could stay only for a cup of tea. So how tea table could be without sausage? Name of “chocolate salami” inventor we will probably never know, but the recipe has taken its own rightful place in notebooks and cookbooks: cookies, butter or margarine, cocoa powder, sugar.

In the absence of modern food processors, cookies were simply ground into crumbs by hand, butter or margarine was melted and the availability of sweet concentrated milk was making everything to taste even better. The hardest part in cooking “chocolate salami” was the wait – “salami” were rolled into “loaves”, carefully placed in plastic bags and locked into a freezer overnight. In the morning, the final result was ready on the plate, chunks of reddish-brown slices of “shokoladnaya kalbaska” with small inclusions of cookie crumbs (looking like small dots of white fat on salami).

For more Russian recipes, visit Russian Cuisine page.

Chocolate Biscuit “Salami” with Walnuts & Rum (no bake) on cutting board

The proper dish name for “chocolate salami” has never been introduced by anyone, but variations of the recipe including nuts, honey, prunes, and even halva have become very popular. You can try to make this dessert while experimenting with various add-ons such as dry fruits or nuts. Serving this dessert is somewhat out of the ordinary – your guests will be surely happy! “Shokoladnaya Kalbaska” can be served with coffee or tea; it also goes well with after-dinner liqueur.

Chocolate Biscuit “Salami” with Walnuts & Rum (no bake) on brown paper and cutting board

Chocolate Biscuit "Salami" with Walnuts & Rum

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By Yelena Strokin
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus time to refrigerate

Ingredients

  • 7 oz (200g) tea biscuit or plain butter cookies (I used Breton crackers)
  • 7 Tbsp. (100 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped 
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 1/2 oz.(100g) dark chocolate 50% cocoa ( I used Lindt)
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp. rum  
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1

Break the cookies into small pieces. In a large bowl mix together cookies and chopped walnuts. Set aside.

2

Meanwhile, heat the navy cream and butter over low heat. Add the sugar and stir. Chop chocolate in small pieces and add to the hot butter-cream mixture. Stir until chocolate melts. Then add cocoa powder and rum, stir well to combine, set aside for few minutes to let the mixture cool slightly.

3

Add crushed biscuit-walnut mixture into the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly. The mixture will be thick and sticky. Using your hands, put the mixture on a piece of aluminum foil or wax paper and roll as a sausage.

4

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. When ready to serve, unwrap the chocolate salami and lightly roll it in powdered sugar to give it a look of real aged salami. Slice and serve on a beautiful plate.  If you have kids, they will love this dessert and they will definitely help you make it.

Inspired by Confessions of a Spoon

Chocolate Biscuit “Salami” with Walnuts & Rum (no bake) on a plate

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18 Comments

  • Reply
    Rosa's Yummy Yums
    November 18, 2013 at 3:33 pm

    A lovely treat! Surely divine.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  • Reply
    rustykalna kuchnia
    November 18, 2013 at 3:43 pm

    ah, the Russian Mondays 🙂
    Always amazes me the similarity between Polish and Russian recipes. It's only thanks to You, I see this so clearly 🙂 thanks Yelena 🙂
    Beautiful "Шоколадная колбаса"

  • Reply
    La Table De Nana
    November 18, 2013 at 5:24 pm

    I have made a similar treat..but not nearly as perfectly portrayed:-)

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    November 18, 2013 at 7:23 pm

    Yelena, I'd never heard of chocolate "salami" — what a treat! I also love your samovar in the background.

  • Reply
    Rambling Tart
    November 19, 2013 at 12:55 am

    This is absolutely delightful. 🙂 What a clever and delicious recipe. 🙂

  • Reply
    Elen Smirnova
    November 19, 2013 at 6:44 am

    My favouriiiiiiite!!!!!!!!

  • Reply
    Shema George
    November 19, 2013 at 2:10 pm

    Wow- this sounds divine !!

  • Reply
    Shema George
    November 19, 2013 at 2:11 pm

    Love your food styling and pictures

  • Reply
    elizabeth
    November 19, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    This looks wonderful! Can you tell me how long this lasts in the refrigerator or do you keep it frozen? I am thinking about making this as a gift for all my wine loving friends for Christmas. I love your presentation!

  • Reply
    melangery
    November 19, 2013 at 3:01 pm

    Elizabeth, I made it for Thanksgiving and I am keep it in refrigerator. If you like to serve it on Christmas you will need to freeze it. On a day you serve take it from freezer to refrigerator. Serve cold, it's the best way.

  • Reply
    Shibi Thomas
    November 19, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    I definitely want to try these cookies for christmas. My kids love chocolate and I am sure they gonna be surpised!!

  • Reply
    Meli
    November 19, 2013 at 7:01 pm

    Beautiful pictures, Yelena! I'm sure everybody will like the recipe! Enjoy!

  • Reply
    Little Z.
    November 19, 2013 at 7:42 pm

    Mmmmmm… this sounds delicious. I wonder how it would taste with Speculoos (Speculaas?) instead of the butter crackers.

  • Reply
    melangery
    November 19, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Little Z, you may use any crackers or tea biscuit. Speculoos are good enough! Let me know-)

  • Reply
    Julia
    November 22, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    Wow, I vaguely remember having something like that very long time ago. What a cool concept, pinned!

  • Reply
    Mabrey
    April 12, 2015 at 11:03 pm

    Did you use Breton wheat crackers or the Breton Cabaret.

  • Reply
    Anna
    December 6, 2019 at 10:35 pm

    What kind of rum is best for this? dark or white?

    • Reply
      Yelena Strokin
      December 7, 2019 at 1:17 am

      I have used dark rum. But if you only have white – it will work too. Dark rum just has more flavors.

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