Date Sweetened Fudge

Desirous of everything at the same time . . .

Sweet, rich, chocolaty. Can healthy possibly be added to this list of fudge adjectives— can you have it all at once? I think so. With the healthy fat of coconut oil, anti-oxidant rich cocoa powder and light fruit sweeteners it can be healthy in moderation (this means a small piece). Perfect for holiday dessert trays and gifts.

And everybody goes "Awww!"

Date Sweetened Fudge

5 Tbs. coconut oil, liquified

5 Medjool dates, pitted, soaked & drained (or 15 Deglet Noor Dates aka California dates)

3 Tbs. apple sauce

1/2 C. cocoa powder

dash of sea salt

3 droppers liquid vanilla stevia or 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine coconut oil, dates apple sauce, salt and vanilla/stevia in blender.

2. Blend until smooth.

3. Add cocoa powder and blend until smooth.

4. Line a bread pan with wax paper.

5. Smooth batter into a square on wax paper.

6. Fold the excess wax paper over and smooth the top until even.

7. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until hard.

8. Slice.

You will only use about a quarter of a typical bread pan's real estate.

But, the batter is thick enough that you can easily form it into a nice neat square, like in the case at an old-fashioned fudge shop.

A few notes . . .

1. If you opt not to use Stevia, you may want to use an extra date or two depending upon how sweet you want the fudge to be.

2. Yes, coconut oil is difficult to work with because it is solid and almost rock-hard at room temperature. But, this is precisely why it works so well to harden the fudge. I turn the oven to warm then chip out the coconut oil that I need for a recipe and put it in a small oven safe bowl. When the oven has reached warm (around 200ºF), turn the oven off and put the coconut oil in to liquify it.

I hope that you are mad for it.