Chocolate Sausage (saucisson Au Chocolat)

"Anne Desjardins, chef at L'Eau a la Bouche (Mouthwatering) in Ste. Adele, made this sausage-like cookie to serve at Kendall College, a professional chefs' school in Evanston, Ill. The nut-studded chocolate is rolled into a sausage shape and dredged in icing sugar. Sliced up, it's a delectable treat with coffee or sweet wine." Julian Armstrong, Montreal Gazette

• Ready In: 32 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 4  ounces  manjari de valrhona chocolate or 4  ounces  other quality bittersweet chocolate
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped  almonds (50 g)
• 1⁄3 cup  chopped  dried fruit (apricots, cranberries, etc. 100 g)
• 1  tablespoon  sortilege  orange liqueur or 1  tablespoon Grand Marnier or 1  tablespoon Cointreau liqueur (or orange flavoring)
•  grated zest orange (peel)
• 1 -2  tablespoon  sifted icing sugar

Directions

1. In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter together.
2. Roast almonds until lightly browned in 350 degree F (180 C) oven.
3. Soak nuts and dried fruit in liqueur, then add grated orange peel.
4. Stir nut mixture into melted chocolate mixture and transfer to a clean, flat surface.
5. Using your hands, roll chocolate mixture into a long sausage shape, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill.
6. Just before serving, remove plastic and roll sausage in sugar to give it the look of a meat sausage.
7. Slice into 16 cookie-like slices and serve at once.