Dolce & Italian Chocolate Block

Having started reading "Under the Tuscan Sun" by Frances Mayes made me almost obsessively think of all imaginable Italian food. As if I could magically transfer myself for a weekend in Italy or compensate for the lack of sun and fight the winter away, my weekly menu was full of Italian dishes like risotto and pizza. (I do hope to write about all of them soon!) For the weekend though I was planning to prepare something special. And sweet :) I made my hard choice and decided to indulge myself with dark chocolate block, full of almonds, dried apricots and amaretti cookies.
To my surprise and joy, after a long week of grey sky, Saturday welcomed us with sun, yet still no trams*. As our classes were starting just in the afternoon, we went for a beautiful walk in search of the only one missing ingredient for the chocolate block - amaretti cookies- ending up eating freshly baked pizza in a cozy Italian store Dolce**. Of course, I bought the cookies as well and therefore, I started my Sunday not with a long shower or some yummy breakfast but with preparing the chocolate block. It was worth it though! :)



Italian Chocolate Block
Original recipe comes from "Kuchnia włoska" by Penny Stephens. 

Fits a rectangular pan 11cm wide and 23cm long.

75g almonds, chopped
150g good quality chocolate (I used dark one, 70% cocoa)
75g butter
210g condensed milk (sweetened)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
75g amaretti cookies, crushed into big pieces
70g dried apricots, chopped

1. Line the pan with aluminium foil.
2. Put butter, condensed milk and cinnamon into a saucepan with a thick bottom. Cook over low heat, constantly stirring until butter melts, for about 3-4 minutes. Then add the chocolate cut into pieces and stir constantly until chocolate melts. Turn the heat off.
3. Mix in almonds, amaretti cookies and dried apricots. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and set aside in a cool place or refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set. Cut into big slices and enjoy with good latte macchiato :)

*BKV (Budapest public transportation company) was striking...
**Király u. 57., 1077 Budapest