Inspired by: Living Healthy with Chocolate, Adriana Harlan

I have to introduce to you an ingredient that is not used by the masses yet and maybe we should keep it on the sly…if you know what I mean. This stuff is astounding!!!!!  I can’t tell you how many times I walked past it in the health market not realizing how I oh so needed it!

I was first introduced to it by my blogger friend, Adriana, over at Living Healthy with Chocolate {who has her amazing e-book out}!  So yes, it does have something to do with chocolate {wink wink}.  Now that I have your attention, this “IT” I have been referring to with an adoring heart is called Cacao Butter!

Cacao butter is made by pressing ground, milled cacao nibs and separating the creamy butter from the fibrous powder to make cacao paste.  The end result is this decadent {solid} butter that is a healthy source of fatty acids, antioxidants and many nutrients essential for optimal health.

I made these for my dad’s birthday whom, mind you, still eats conventional sweets and was raised on homemade fudge full of refined sugar {my Grammy was famous for}; he kindly said maybe another tablespoon of honey and they would be perfect.  No offense taken, I should have known my audience. The extra honey made it PERFECT for those who have a sweet tooth.

Cacao butter is in a solid hard bar or bought in chunks. To add it to recipes you will need to gently melt it. If you put a piece in your mouth it melts slowly and is so creamy good. I did shave some over top of the fudge before serving.

Chocolate Cashew Fudge (raw, vegan, low sugar, paleo, dairy & gluten free)

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Dawn Rofrano with Spoonful of Health

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• 1½ cups soaked cashews
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 1-2 tbsp. raw honey
• ¼ cup melted cacao butter
• ⅓ cup chocolate chips {I like Lily's stevia sweetened}

Instructions

1. Melt cacao butter chunks in a small glass dish in a pan of simmering water. Water should reach halfway up the glass of cacao chunks. A double broiler can be used.
2. After the cacao butter is melted you can melt the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a food processor, puree soaked cashews, vanilla, oil, and honey until creamy.
4. Add the melted cacao butter and blend until smooth and creamy.
5. Spread mixture in a 8x8 inch dish greased with coconut oil.
6. Drizzle the chocolate over the cashew mixture and using a toothpick swirl it.
7. Freeze until fudge hardens; up to an hour. Best stored in the freezer.

Notes

If you don't have time to soak the cashews for a few hours you can add a few tablespoons of filtered water to get them creamy when pureeing them. If you can't find the cacao butter in the health market you could add 2 more tablespoons of coconut oil {making it a total of 3}. However, the cacao butter gives this recipe that special fudge consistency and flavor, hence the cost of a pretty penny but in my opinion worth it. Please make sure you are using real extracts and not flavored. I love Lily's Dark Chocolate chips because they only use stevia to sweeten them. If your palate likes super sweet you may need to add another tablespoon of honey. If you are using traditional chips you will only need 1 tablespoon of honey. Of course, use organic when you can.

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