Name: CRANBERRY ORANGE PECAN FUDGE
Cuisine: Healthy, Creative, Vegan (for everyone).
Ingredients: 60 g (1/2 cup) dried cranberries; 270 g (2 cups) whole pitted dates; 1 orange, zest and juice (grate the zest first, then juice the orange); 1 can (400 ml, 400 g, 13.5 fl oz) full fat coconut milk; 1 Tbsp (15 ml, 12 g) coconut oil (solid or melted); 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 20 g (2 Tbsp) chia seeds; 1 tsp ground nutmeg; 400 g (14 oz) unsweetened chocolate baking chips, bars or wafers; 50 g (1/2 cup) chopped pecans; some dried cranberries and chopped pecans to decorate

A real treat to be enjoyed anytime, with a fraction of the calories of traditional or commercial fudge.

Prep time: 40 to 60 min
Servings: 128
Course: Dessert, snack
In the fridge: 1 week
In the freezer: I had some frozen for over a year!
Equipment: Blender, medium size pot, hand mixer and large bowl

CRANBERRY ORANGE PECAN FUDGE

Author: Anne Charbonneau

Ingredients

in the blender:

60 g (1/2 cup) dried cranberries
270 g (2 cups) whole pitted dates
1 orange, zest and juice (grate the zest first, then juice the orange)
1 can (400 ml, 400 g, 13.5 fl oz) full fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp (15 ml, 12 g) coconut oil (solid or melted)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
20 g (2 Tbsp) chia seeds
1 tsp ground nutmeg

remaining ingredients

400 g (14 oz) unsweetened chocolate baking chips, bars or wafers
50 g (1/2 cup) chopped pecans
some dried cranberries and chopped pecans to decorate

Instructions

Oil one 9 x 13” (22 x 33 cm) baking dish, or two 8 x 8” (20 x 20 cm) baking dishes, with a small amount of coconut oil.
In a blender, mix well the first 8 ingredients.
Pour the contents of the blender into a medium size pot and add the 400 g (14 oz) unsweetened chocolate baking chips, bars or wafers.
Turn on to low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate has melted, then remove from heat.
Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl in which a hand mixer can safely be used.
With a hand mixer, mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
Then, using a spoon, mix in the 50 g (1/2 cup) chopped pecans.
Pour and spread the mixture into the baking dish.
Cover the top with some dried cranberries and some chopped pecans. Gently press them in using a flat spatula.
Freeze overnight or at least a few hours, uncovered.
Take out of the freezer, letting it thaw just enough to be able to cut it. Use a paring knife to cut it into bite size pieces, then use a stainless steel flat spatula for the sides and to lift the fudge out of the baking dish.
Immediately freeze again in an airtight container.

Notes

These fudges are heat sensitive. Keep frozen (or at least refrigerated) until just a few minutes before serving. Properly frozen, these fudge will remain totally delicious for quite a long time!

Be sure to use full fat coconut milk. The low fat version will not work in this recipe.

VARIATION

CRANBERRY ORANGE PECAN CAROB FUDGE

Reduce the amount of whole pitted dates to 180 g (1 1/3 cups).

Substitute the chocolate baking chips, bars or wafers with 375 g (2 1/2 cups) unsweetened carob chips.

Add the zest of a 2nd orange (because in this recipe, the stronger taste of carob hides a little too much the orange flavor).

ALLERGIES

nuts: omit the pecans
chia seeds: use flax seeds instead

OIL FREE: omit the coconut oil

Can be made as a half recipe. (Use then the remaining half can of coconut milk for cooking, smoothies, etc, or freeze for later use).

fudge, cranberry, orange, vegan, healthy, gluten free, no added sugar

Dessert, snack

Healthy, Creative, Vegan (for everyone).

CAROB FUDGE

The best carob chips to use here are the unsweetened dark ones made of only these 3 ingredients: carob powder, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil and soy lecithin.
If not available, find some with the least fillers possible; the ingredient list should START with carob powder, not some kind of sugar.
Note that carob powder as such is NOT a replacement for carob chips in this recipe variation.

Tip

Best quality ingredients = best quality desserts: I use organic ingredients as much as possible. It tastes so much better! Here, it is particularly important for the orange to be organic since the zest is used in the recipe. I also recommend using organic cranberries if possible.

Prepare 2 days ahead for optimal flavor (although I never wait 2 days to start enjoying it…)!

PAUSE 4 PLANET

ORANGE LEFTOVER:

After grating the zest and squeezing the juice out of the orange, hold on to that remaining white part - the pith.

It contains a lot of fibers and vitamin C! One easy way to take advantage of these bonus benefits is to add it to a smoothie. It can even be frozen (just like that) until the next smoothie. That’s what I do!

Note that even though the pith by itself can be bitter, blended into smoothies in small amounts with fruits, protein powder, cacao nibs and the like, the bitterness is gone, the immune system loves it and the planet too!

NutritioN

Per serving (1 recipe = 128 servings — see the video at 1:38 for more info)

with chocolate

with carob

Nutrition information is an estimate based on the recipe as written.

DID YOU MAKE AND ENJOY THIS RECIPE?

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Thank you, enjoy & bon appetit!

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Cranberry Orange Pecan Fudge