Chocolate Salami

Chocolate Salami

250g dark chocolate, chopped
250g biscuits, something like ginger biscuits, finger biscuits, Marie biscuits or digestives
100g soft butter
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
30ml vanilla
30ml cocoa powder
75g almond nuts, chopped
75g pecan nuts, chopped
50g pistachio nuts, chopped
30ml icing sugar, sifted, to decorate
twine, to decorate

Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over simmering water and allow to melt until completely smooth. Set aside to cool.
Bash the biscuits in a plastic bag but keep it chunky.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together.
Gradually, and one by one, add the eggs – do not worry if it looks as though it has curdled at this stage.
Add the vanilla and mix until blended.
Sift the cocoa powder into the cooled chocolate and mix through.
Now add the chocolate to the egg mixture and mix through on low speed.
Take the bowl from the mixer and add the crushed biscuits and all of the nuts. Mix well.
Refrigerate the mixture (in the bowl is fine) for about 30 minutes.
Cover your working surface with plastic wrap.
Roll the mixture into a log shape with your hands until it resembles a fat salami, about 30cm long.
Cover the log with the plastic wrap and roll it, as if it were a rolling pin, to create a smooth cylinder.
Twist the ends and make a knot.
Refrigerate the log for at least 6 hours.
Take the salami out of the fridge and lay it on baking paper.
Rub some icing sugar over and tie with string to give it an authentic look.
Slice into discs to serve.