Lots of people seem to really love eating a good piece of fudge, especially from the shore areas! It seems to bring back some sense of nostalgia and childhood excitement for many. Plus, you can’t get past all those amazing fudge flavors in the stores; its almost like you can smell them in the air! It’s so wonderful!
Did you know that you can make a healthier version of fudge at home using dried fruits? That means, you can still satisfy that sweet tooth but with less guilt!
The recipe I’m sharing with you today can be made with any type of dried fruit. It can be made as shown, or you can swap some of the ingredients to make it more of a vegan dessert option.
I made this recipe using black seedless dates and it turned out so good! I got the sweetness from the dates, crunch from the ground nuts & coconut, and the creaminess from the ghee in this recipe. And once you let it cool off completely, you have this really great fudgy consistency that makes this a perfect treat for anytime!
DRIED FRUIT FUDGE
Servings: 12-15 bars
Ingredients:
- 24 oz. chopped black seedless dates OR any dried fruit (apricots, pineapple, prunes, guava, figs, etc.)
- 3 Tbsp of ghee, butter, or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup ground nuts (almond, pistachios, cashews)
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped mixed nuts (almond, pistachios, cashews) *garnish
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/2 shredded sweet coconut + extra handful for garnish
Instructions:
- Heat the ghee/butter/coconut in a broad non-stick pan, add the dried fruits, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 5 minutes, while stirring continuously.
- Once the fruit begins to break down, add the ground nuts, coconut and cardamom powder. Mix well together for about 3-4 minutes longer. The mixture will begin to bind together like a dough.
- Once mixture begins to bind together, turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool to touch.
- Once cooled, divide the mixture into 15 equal portions and shape each portion into round balls. OR put the entire mixture in a small brownie tray and flatten completely till even/level. Add the extra 1/4 cup of nuts and handful of coconut on top and allow to cool completely before cutting into fudge bars.
- IF you decide to make the warm mixture into round balls, roll them into the extra dried sweet coconut till they are evenly coated from all the sides.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container.
NOTE: You can make ahead and store in cool location for up to 1 week. Also, it is recommended to use only dried fruits in this recipe. Using fresh or frozen fruits will result in a soupy mixture that will not cool well, nor become a fudgy consistency.
That’s it! This is a great fudge alternative for everyone! It’s really satisfying and I just want to say that the cardamom inside the fruit mixture is the real star. It adds a beautiful floral aftertaste to this fudge and also seems to make the dried fruit taste sweeter. It’s a win-win in all directions!
Let me know your thoughts on this recipe and definitely tag me on IG @cmspiceculture if you make this recipe or leave a comment below!
Enjoy! :O)
