During the holidays, temperance may be difficult.
The best most of us can hope for is that the nice things we eat to balance out the naughty. Chocolate truffles are not meant to be an everyday food, but by combining them with nutrient-dense ingredients, we can supercharge their associated antioxidant properties and learn some trivia along the way.
So-called superfoods are not an immediate fix to all that ails us, though they can, of course, be great additions to a balanced diet. Crimson glory vine is a small grape of the Vitis family, native to Japan and temperate East Asia. Known here as yamabudō (literally, “mountain grapes”) they can be up to eight times richer in polyphenols, an antioxidizing compound, than common table grapes. They are a particular favorite of craft winemakers and Japan’s black bears pre-hibernation.
The second part of their scientific name, coignetiae, derives from the French silver mining expert Jean Francisque Coignet (1835-1902), who was charged with modernizing Japan’s mineral extractions. The species is dedicated to Coignet and his wife, who took seeds back to Europe in 1875.
The chocolate salami dish is a no-bake truffle medley of chocolate ganache mixed with biscuits, nuts and dried fruit, then rolled and covered in powdered sugar to resemble charcuterie. Emanating from Italy, its popularity is pan-European with names and ingredients varying throughout.
Makes 16-20 slices
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes (plus time to set)
Ingredients:
- 75 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1-centimeter cubes
- 150 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 30 grams molasses or maple syrup
- 30 milliliters cream or milk
- 30 milliliters espresso or coffee liqueur or even brandy
- 100 grams buttery cookies, roughly chopped
- 75 grams dried yamabudō or currants
- 50 grams walnuts, roasted, and roughly chopped
- 15 grams icing sugar
Directions:
1. Place the butter, chocolate, molasses, cream and coffee (or substitutes) in a metal bowl, then heat over a lightly simmering pot of water, stirring to combine.
2. Remove from heat and add the chopped biscuits, currants and walnuts. Cool on the countertop for 10 minutes. If it sets, reheat slightly, but once it starts to thicken, prepare a large sheet of cooking parchment.
3. Scrape the mix onto parchment paper and roll it into a filled tube (roughly 25 by 6 centimeters), then twist the ends to tightly enclose the log. Place on a board or tray and refrigerate for at least four hours. Once an hour, tighten the roll inside the paper to achieve a perfect cylinder.
4. Once completely set, unwrap the salami and sift icing sugar over it, covering all sides. Arrange on a plate or board, cut into slices served alongside coffee or your favorite seasonal tipple. Refrigerated, chocolate salami will keep for two weeks (likely more time than it takes to be eaten). Keep wrapped and whole, then slice when desired.
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