Coffee Hazelnut Fudge

One warning though – if you like sweet caramel desserts, you’d better make a double batch of these because they’ll be gone before you know it!

COFFEE HAZELNUT FUDGE [VEGAN, RAW, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of hazelnuts, ideally soaked overnight and dehydrated until crisp
• ½ cup of extra virgin coconut oil, soft or completely melted
• ¼ cup of maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar (or 1 large soft date, pitted)
• 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon of ground coffee beans
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (or ½ teaspoon of vanilla powder)
• 1/8 teaspoon of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
• ¼ cup of hazelnuts (pulse to mix)
• ¼ cup of hazelnuts, roughly chopped (as a topping)

PREPARATION

1. Place the hazelnuts in a food processor fitted with an S-blade and pulse until finely ground.
2. Add coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut sugar, ground coffee beans, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until well combined.
3. Finally, add the extra hazelnuts and pulse to mix. You only want to add these last so they stay crunchy.
4. Take your baking pan and line it with some baking paper or plastic foil. This way, your hazelnut coffee fudge won’t stick to the pan once it gets out of the freezer.
5. Pour your liquid fudge into the lined baking pan. Top the fudge with roughly chopped hazelnuts or other toppings of your choice: roughly chopped coffee beans, cacao nibs, coconut chips, dried mulberries…
6. Put the baking pan in the freezer for at least 1 hour until the fudge has completely set.
7. Cut the chilled fudge into slices and serve right away.

NOTES

• This Hazelnut Coffee Fudge will stay fresh for at least 1 month in a glass jar in the refrigerator, or even longer in the freezer.

• I really like the combination of coconut sugar & maple syrup to create that authentic caramel flavor. If you don’t have any coconut sugar at home, just add more maple syrup or replace it with one large soft medjool date (makes sure it’s pitted though!).

• Extra virgin coconut oil will add healthy fats to this recipe and make it extra smooth & flavorful. It will also act as a binder once you put the slices in the freezer. It’s really important that your coconut oil is soft or even completely melted, otherwise your food processor will have a really hard time combining everything.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/coffee-hazelnut-fudge/