Chocolate Salami

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup unsatled butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 5 egg yolks
• 12 ounces Maria cookies (or plain Graham crackers or Vanilla wafers) broken into small pieces
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Coffee Liqueur made with Tequila or Kahlua, optional
• 1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

1. In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate along with the butter. Remove from the heat and stir this mix into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder, and incorporate them with a spatula in evolving motions.
2. One by one, add the egg yolks into the batter and mix very well after each addition. Fold in the broken cookie chunks and if adding liqueur and pecans, fold them in as well. By now, you will have a moist and chunky, rough looking mixture.
3. Cut 2 pieces of waxed or parchment paper, to about 15" length. Spoon half the mixture onto each piece of paper. With your hands, shape them into logs. Roll them in the paper and give them a thick salami shape, of about 2" of thickness. Having the paper cover makes it very easy to give them a quick roll and a round shape. Twist the ends of the paper, in opposite directions.
4. If you made one log with liqueur and/or pecans and the other without, use a marker so you will recognize them when ready. Then wrap each one in a layer of plastic wrap. Place them in the freezer for about 2 to 3 hours or until frozen. Slice as thin or thick, as you like, while frozen and serve. Chocolate salami will keep in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for about 6 months.
5. If you bring them over as gifts, you may want to buy colored paper to give them a more festive feel, though I also like to use brown/unbleached parchment paper to wrap them initially and just put a nice tie around ends. But don't forget to tell your friends to place the chocolate salamis in the freezer as soon as you give it to them. (It will travel well for a couple hours, it is just much easier to slice while frozen). Remove from the refrigerator 10 or 15 minutes before ready to slice.

bittersweet chocolate, butter, sugar, vanilla, cocoa, egg yolks, maria cookies, coffee, pecans

Taken from food52.com/recipes/2094-chocolate-salami (may not work)