Chocolate Mosaic is a classic “easy-to-make-at-home” dessert that has been prepared in many parts of Europe for generations. It’s actually so old, that my grandmother Irene was still using blocks of ice to keep this dessert (and other food, too) cold, back when refrigerators had barely made their appearance and ice was still delivered in every home on a daily basis. It was also a casual week-day dessert while I was growing up, and I’ve been making it for my own children for as long as I can recall. But over the last couple of years, and under the influence of the american confectionery, I started adding marshmallows to the basic recipe, a successful addition – so my children say!
This dessert is served right out of the freezer, but the marshmallows will quickly soften and melt in every bite, tasting and feeling almost like freshly whipped, silky, snowy meringue.
The original recipe from the olden days contained raw beaten eggs – long replaced with milk, as well as brandy – completely eliminated when served to children. This treat is also known as “Salami” because of its shape and overall appearance, but Chocolate Mosaic is a much more appealing name, and it’s actually what my mother used to call it.
To prepare it, you will be busy in the kitchen for less than 15 min but you’ll have to wait a few hours before it’s nicely frozen.
It’s absolutely delicious!
Ingredients:
- 11 oz (about 1½ package) Butter Biscuits, also known as “Petits Beurre” cookies
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (225 g)
- 3/4 cups unsweetened good quality cacao, sifted
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Preparation:
- In a small sauce pan, melt the butter (do not bring to a boil).
- Add the sifted cacao and combine with a whisk.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and combine. Set aside.
- Place all the biscuits inside a medium size bowl, and break them using your hands (and not a food processor), until each biscuit is broken into 4 to 6 pieces. Some pieces will be bigger and some smaller.
- Add the butter/cacao/milk mixture and combine with a spatula (1).
- On a flat surface, place a piece of aluminum foil, about 12 x 18 inches (30 x 46 cm) and on top of it a piece of parchment paper, at approximately the same dimensions.
- Transfer about 1/3 of the mixture in the middle of the parchment paper, to form a log (2). Roll the mixture while pressing gently with your hands to compress the log. Roll the foil and the parchment paper together around the log (3) and fold the ends (4) Repeat with the rest of the mixture to form three logs (5).
- Freeze for at least four hours, preferably overnight.
- Serve right out of the freezer, unwrap and cut into slices.
