We keep the biscuit pieces large enough to be visible in every slice, alongside the chopped walnuts. You only need a small saucepan, a large bowl, and cling film; the butter will bind the mixture as it firms up in the refrigerator.
The story of biscuit salami
The exact origin of biscuit salami has not been established with certainty. It belongs to a family of European no-bake sweets shaped from biscuits and a cocoa or chocolate mixture. The name describes its cylindrical shape and the mottled pattern of the slices, in which the pale biscuit pieces contrast with the dark base.
For this recipe, we have chosen a homemade version from Muntenia, with butter, milk, and walnuts, without attributing its origin exclusively to that region. The dessert is widespread throughout the country, including Moldavia and Transylvania, under the same name; proportions and additions vary mainly from one household to another.
As homemade recipes have been passed down, many variations have emerged: some have more cocoa, while others include dried fruit or are coated in coconut. There is no single mandatory formula. This version preserves the contrast between the visible biscuit pieces and the dense cream, with vanilla for aroma.
Why you'll love it
- You do not need an oven or a mixer.
- The biscuit pieces and walnuts give each slice a varied texture.
- The coconut coating contrasts with the cocoa interior, as in the photograph.
- You can make the dessert a day ahead, leaving it unsliced until serving.
- A single log yields approximately 16 substantial slices.
No-Bake Biscuit Salami with Walnuts and Coconut
Everything you need, in one place.
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 5 min
- Rest time
- 250 min
- Total time
- 280 min
- Servings
- 16
Ingredients
For the mixture
For the coating
Instructions
Preparing the dry ingredients
- Break the biscuits into pieces of approximately 1–2 cm in a large bowl, keeping the resulting crumbs as well.
- Chop the walnuts with a knife over the biscuits, into pieces smaller than the biscuit pieces.
Preparing the cocoa syrup
- Mix the sugar and cocoa powder in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Gradually incorporate the milk using a whisk until the mixture is free of lumps.
- Heat the mixture over low heat for approximately 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is hot, without boiling vigorously.
- Incorporate the butter into the syrup after removing it from the heat, stirring until it melts and the mixture becomes glossy.
- Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, until warm rather than hot.
- Incorporate the vanilla paste into the lukewarm mixture.
Shaping and chilling
- Using a spatula, mix the syrup with the biscuits and walnuts in the bowl until all the pieces are coated and no separate liquid remains.
- Spread the coconut in a rectangle on two overlapping sheets of cling film.
- Place the mixture on top of the coconut in a log approximately 26 cm long.
- Roll the cling film tightly around the mixture, pressing evenly to form a compact cylinder approximately 7 cm thick, coated in coconut.
- Refrigerate the log for at least 4 hours, until firm all the way to the center.
Portioning
- Unwrap the cling film from the chilled log.
- Using a very sharp knife, cut the log into approximately 16 slices, 1,5 cm thick.
Nutrition estimate: 300 kcal — per serving. Values vary with ingredients and portion size.
Tips for success
- Choose dry, crisp biscuits. Very tender ones fall apart quickly and blur the pattern in the slices.
- Keep pieces of different sizes, but avoid pieces larger than 2 cm, which make compacting difficult.
- Press especially firmly at the ends of the log: this is where gaps are most likely to remain, causing the first slices to crumble.
- For clean slices, wipe the knife blade after each cut and press straight down, without long sawing motions.
Mistakes to avoid
- Biscuits crushed entirely into powder. Excessive crushing produces a uniform, heavy mass; break the biscuits by hand rather than grinding them all into crumbs.
- Syrup boiled for too long. Evaporation of the milk changes the proportions and can leave the mixture dry; stop heating once the sugar has dissolved.
- Mixture poured while very hot. The biscuits soften too much and lose their outline; allow the full 10 minutes of cooling.
- Log sliced before it has set. Butter that is still soft cannot hold the slices together; refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours and check that the center is firm.
Variations
- For a hazelnut variation, replace the 100 g of walnuts with 100 g of toasted, cooled, and chopped hazelnuts.
- For a citrus aroma, replace the vanilla paste with 3 g of finely grated orange zest from a fruit whose peel is suitable for consumption.
- If you are cooking abroad, you can use 300 g of petit beurre-style biscuits or plain digestive biscuits. For sweeter digestive biscuits, reduce the sugar to 120 g; the texture will be slightly more crumbly.
- For a dried fruit variation, replace 40 g of the walnuts with 40 g of soft dried apricots, cut into small cubes.
Serving and storage
Serve the slices cold, slightly overlapping on a wooden chopping board, with the remaining log alongside, as in the photograph; the coconut coating is sufficient, with no other additions. Store the dessert in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days. You can freeze it whole or portioned, well wrapped, for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. No reheating is required.
Small culinary glossary
- Biscuit salami
- A sweet dessert shaped into a cylinder and cut into slices. The biscuit pieces remain visible inside.
- Shelled walnuts
- The edible part of a walnut, removed from its hard shell. In this recipe, it is used chopped rather than finely ground.
- To incorporate
- To mix an ingredient into a mixture until it is evenly distributed.
- To cool
- To lose some heat, without necessarily reaching refrigerator temperature.
- To compact
- To press the mixture to remove gaps. A compact log is easier to slice and crumbles less.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the dessert a day ahead?
Yes. Keep the whole log wrapped in the refrigerator and slice it just before serving. After a night in the refrigerator, the mixture will be fully set.
What should I do if the mixture is too soft to shape?
While the butter is warm, the mixture remains pliable. However, if you notice any separate liquid after mixing, add 20 g of crushed biscuits and check the consistency again before adding more.
Can I leave out the walnuts?
Yes. Replace the 100 g of walnuts with 80 g of additional biscuits, broken into small pieces. If the mixture becomes too dry to press together, incorporate 15 ml of milk.
Why do the slices crumble when cut?
Common causes are gaps in the log, biscuit pieces that are too large, or a blade that catches. Press the mixture firmly when shaping it and use a sharp knife. If the log is very hard after freezing, let it thaw completely in the refrigerator before slicing.
How did it turn out?
Share your experience or ask a question in the comments.
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