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Small Pastries

Coffee Cookie Salami

Coffee cookie salami with no butter and no eggs: a quick no-bake dessert with dark chocolate, plain cookies and black coffee. Easy, in 20 minutes.
Recipe Coffee Cookie Salami
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 20 minutes
  • Servings for 6 people

Coffee cookie salami is a no-bake dessert that gives a grown-up twist to the famous chocolate salami of the Italian tradition, the one so many grandmothers made to use up leftover plain cookies from the pantry.

In this version butter and eggs disappear completely, replaced by melted dark chocolate which, as it cools, firms up the mixture and gives it that crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth texture typical of a well-made salami.

The addition of black coffee is the real signature of the recipe: it tempers the sweetness of the cookies and the powdered sugar, lengthens the finish and creates an elegant contrast that makes this dessert perfect at the end of a meal, alongside a small glass of liqueur or a cup of espresso.

Ingredients for 6 people

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Method

  1. To make the coffee cookie salami, start with the dark chocolate: break it into pieces, transfer it to a bowl and melt it in a double boiler or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring often so it doesn’t overheat. Meanwhile, make the coffee and let it cool completely, because if added hot it would keep the mixture from setting firmly.
  2. Put the cookies in a large bowl and crumble them coarsely with your hands, deliberately leaving a few larger pieces: they will give the salami its characteristic crunchy texture and the typical marbled look once sliced.
  3. Add the powdered sugar, the sifted unsweetened cocoa and the pinch of fine salt to the crumbled cookies, then stir quickly while still dry so the powders are evenly distributed.
  4. Add the melted chocolate, now lukewarm, and the cold coffee, then mix with a wooden spoon or a spatula until you have a smooth, moist mixture that holds its shape, with every crumb perfectly coated.
  5. Transfer the mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and press it together with your hands, shaping it into a long log. Wrap it tightly in the plastic wrap, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper to remove any air pockets and make the salami nice and firm.
  6. Put the salami in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or better still overnight, so the chocolate sets completely and the dessert is easy to slice.
  7. After the resting time, remove the plastic wrap, dust the surface generously with powdered sugar and, if you want to make it look even more realistic, tie the salami with a few turns of kitchen twine. Cut it into slices about 1 centimeter (1/2 inch) thick with a smooth knife and serve. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

This recipe lends itself to many interpretations. If the dessert is also meant for children you can replace the coffee with the same amount of milk or choose decaf, keeping the texture intact. For a gluten-free version just choose certified gluten-free plain cookies, while for a completely plant-based version use dairy-free cookies and a suitable dark chocolate. You can change the base cookie as you like, from shortbread cookies to classic plain cookies or even wafers, getting a different texture each time. If you love contrasts, add 50 g of coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts or almonds to the mixture, or a handful of white chocolate chips which, once the salami is sliced, will create the classic speckled look of cured salami. Replacing the powdered sugar coating with unsweetened cocoa gives a more intense, less sweet finish, while a tablespoon of coffee liqueur or rum added to the mixture makes the dessert even better suited to the end of a grown-up meal.

Tips

The secret of a firm salami lies in the temperature of the ingredients: the chocolate must be melted but lukewarm, never hot, and the coffee absolutely cold. Crumble the cookies by hand and not in a food processor, because too fine a powder would give a firm result but without that pleasant crunchy contrast between large and small crumbs. If the mixture seems too dry while you work it and won’t hold together, add a tablespoon of coffee at a time, while if it is too soft let it rest in the fridge for five minutes before shaping it. For clean slices use a smooth-bladed knife, lightly warmed under hot water and dried. One last tip: take the salami out of the fridge about ten minutes before serving, so the aromas of cocoa and coffee come through at their best.

Storage

Coffee cookie salami keeps in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for 4 or 5 days. We recommend dusting it with powdered sugar only shortly before serving, because with the moisture of the fridge the sugar tends to be absorbed and lose its look. You can also freeze it whole or already sliced, well wrapped in plastic wrap and a freezer bag, and keep it in the freezer for up to 1 month: to enjoy it, move it to the fridge and let it thaw slowly for a few hours, then finish with a fresh dusting of powdered sugar.

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