Gluten, Dairy, and Refined Sugar-Free Fudge

It's tastier than it sounds, I promise. If your allergies force you to cook creatively, then you'll probably love it. And hey, I think you'll like it even if you don't have weird dietary needs, Jack! In fact, I made it for a guy I dated this summer, and, after he'd licked his lips and raved about it, he promptly went home and googled a similar recipe so he could make it for himself.

This fudge is about the healthiest dessert I've ever made.  Coconut oil has loads of health benefits: it supports the thyroid, reverses or improves Alzheimer's Disease, improves Type 1 and 2 Diabetes, and more. Scientists think nuts can lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, which causes heart disease. And studies suggest honey fights infections and treats allergies. This fudge is so healthy I often eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's so fun being a grown-up. 

I've taken a recipe I found floating around the internet and tweaked it just a bit for my needs. I think there are all sorts of fun variations you could make with this basic recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup salted nut butter (I use pecan, but it would be great with almond, cashew, or peanut butter, too)*

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Trader Joe's brand is my favorite; Hershey's is good too, but it makes the fudge taste a bit more like dark chocolate)

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (You don't have to melt it if you have a really nice blender or food processor that can blend the chunks of oil into silky smooth liquid)

• 1/4 cup honey

• A splash of vanilla

• Optional mix-ins: 1-2 cups of Rice Krispies, or chopped nuts, or marshmallows (my favorite is organic, brown rice krispies; although all three would be great together!)

*I make my own nut butter and have found that 1 cup of roasted nuts makes about 1/2 cup of nut butter.


DIRECTIONS:
 
Blend the nut butter, cocoa powder, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla in a blender or food processor until smooth and silky. If you want, mix in the optional mix-ins by hand.

Pour the mixture into a silicon muffin tray or a muffin tin filled with baking cups. I prefer the baking trays for mini muffins, since the fudge is so rich.

Put the muffin tray in the refrigerator or freezer until the fudge has hardened. Store the fudge in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Bon appétit!

Cheering for ya, Home Skillets,

Sarah

Other gluten, dairy, egg and refined sugar-free recipes you  may like:
 Chocolate Mousse Parfait
Banana Chia Seed Pudding 
Berries and Cream Ice Cream
Pecan and maple waffles 

© by scj