Divine Coconut Peanut Butter Fudge!

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How beautiful does this picture look???  Ahhhh, F..U…D…G…E!   Doesn’t it look simply divine??  One cannot go through a holiday season without at least having some fudge, right?!  Well, the health nut that I am, I am always on the look out for healthy versions to traditional recipes.  And FUDGE is one of them!  I am not a big fan of traditional fudge (yeah I know, I’m weird — but a lot of times fudge is just too sweet for  my taste).   But this healthy version I’m about to share is really DELICIOUS.  It has a perfect amount of sweetness and it just tastes soooo good!  The best part….it’s totally HEALTHY and EASY.

I came across this recipe the other day as I was googling for Coconut Oil Fudge recipes.  The original recipe is from Jordan Rubin, but Lauren Taylor tweaked it by using cocoa powder instead of carob powder.  I tweaked it a tad further by using peanut butter instead of almond butter, coconut sugar (granulated kind) instead of honey, and raw cacao powder instead of carob or cocoa powder.  I’m finding this is a very versatile recipe that can be easily substituted.

Lauren videotaped making this recipe.  To watch video, {click here}.  There are 12 parts to the video, with each part only 1-2 minutes long.

UPDATE 7/21/11:  The Nourishing Gourmet also has a great version of this coconut fudge recipe.  Check out the recipe {HERE}

DIVINE COCONUT PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

• 1 cup coconut oil (does not need to be liquid)
• 1/4 cup peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter, such as almond butter)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or honey or coconut/palm sugar paste)
• 1 tablespoon  vanilla
• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder (or carob powder, or cocoa powder)

NOTES:  Be sure to use good quality ingredients for the best results and greatest health benefits.  Especially, use good quality coconut oil.  You can tell if  it’s good quality if it smells like fresh, sweet coconut.  Wilderness Family Naturals and Tropical Traditions are excellent brands.   If wanting to use coconut/palm sugar paste, it’s available at your local Asian store.  I mainly use granulated coconut sugar. 

Cocoa powder is different than raw cacao (pronounced “ka-cow”) powder.  Raw cacao powder is unadulterated, therefore has more health benefits, compared to cocoa powder, which is highly processed.

EQUIPMENT:

• Double boiler OR a large saucepan where a stainless steel or heat resistant glass bowl (ie: pyrex) can be placed on top.
• Baking dish lined with parchment paper.  Butter parchment paper.

PROCESS:

1. Put the bottom part of double boiler on stove on high heat, with about 1 inch of water in the bottom pan.
2. If using granulated coconut sugar, place in a blender and blend into a powder.
3. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, put all the ingredients in the top part of the double boiler or stainless steel bowl.
4. Once the water is boiling, place the bowl on top of the double boiler and allow the heat from steam to melt the ingredients together — stirring constantly (being careful not to overheat)
5. Once the ingredients are melted nicely, pour fudge into glass baking dish that is lined with parchment paper.  Use a big enough dish so that the fudge is about 1/2″ thick.
6. Place in refrigerator or freezer.  Fudge is ready once it is hardened, about 20-30 minutes.  Keep fudge chilled when serving as coconut oil will begin melting at temps higher than 76 degrees F.

ENJOY!  Mmmmmmm……

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