Chocolate Hazelnut “Sausage”
This recipe is an adaptation of my friend Christina’s grandmother’s recipe. Hailing from Kassel, Germany, Christina’s family makes this as part of their Christmas celebration, but I think it’s an appropriate year-round dessert! Have fun with the inclusions, adding different toasted nuts and even dried fruits, whatever fits your fancy. While it’s not necessary to truss your chocolate with some butcher’s twine, it sure does make for an impressive presentation!
Chocolate Hazelnut “Sausage”
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups toasted hazelnuts, skin removed
- 6 ounces 58% to 65% dark chocolate, rough chopped
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Using a chef knife, finely chop half of the hazelnuts; set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, bring an inch of water to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chocolate, sugar, egg white, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of water.
- Set the bowl over the simmering water and stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate is melted and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the whole and chopped hazelnuts and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate the mixture, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Using a bowl scraper, dump the mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap.
- Use the plastic wrap to shape the chocolate into a log 9 ½-inches in length; refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Transfer the log to a fresh sheet of plastic wrap and sprinkle the confectioners sugar on top. Roll to coat the log in the sugar, pressing it onto the sides; refrigerate for 1 hour, up to overnight.
- To serve, shake off excess sugar and slice ¼-inch medallions.
Notes
Serve at room temperature. The sausage will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
