Soaked Pecan Maple Fudge ~ gluten free, vegan, paleo

This nourishing treat makes a beautiful finishing touch to our family meals. The simplicity of the recipe is hardly an indication of the rich and decadent flavor of this fudge. My entire family goes crazy for it, and of course I love it because I know every single wholesome ingredient that goes into it. Pecans are soaked, which reduces the amount of phytic acid, a compound that binds to minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium, etc., making them unavailable for absorption. Soaking also makes nuts easier to digest. While mineral deficiency is not a big issue in our society, soaking is so simple that I don’t mind an extra step to boost the nutrient content of something I make for my kids. Coconut oil has a long list of evidence based health benefits, from unique fatty acids that keep you full longer and increase energy expenditure to powerful antibacterial properties. Dates are rich in fiber, vitamins and antioxidants, a much better alternative to soy laden commercial fudge. And to top off the goodness, we sweeten it with the least processed sweetener we can find – maple syrup or honey.

HOW TO MAKE SOAKED PECAN MAPLE FUDGE

Ingredients
1 cup raw pecans
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
5 dates, pits removed
Vanilla bean, scraped
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil

Instructions
The day before you want to make pecan maple fudge, soak 1 cup of raw pecans in a bowl of water and leave for 24 hours. Drain, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes, until dry and toasted.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a mini food processor, and process until semi-smooth, scraping down the sides a couple of times.
Spread in a silicone fudge pan or candy mold, and place in the freezer for an hour to set.
Store in the fridge until ready to eat.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Soaked Pecan Maple Fudge ~ gluten free, vegan, paleo

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Author: Valeria - Beets 'n Bones blog

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw pecans
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 5 dates pits removed
• Vanilla bean scraped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Instructions

• The day before you want to make pecan maple fudge, soak 1 cup of raw pecans in a bowl of water and leave for 24 hours. Drain, place pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for 20-30 minutes, until dry and toasted.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a mini food processor, and process until semi-smooth, scraping down the sides a couple of times.
• Spread in a silicone fudge pan or candy mold, and place in the freezer for an hour to set.

Notes

• The fudge needs to be kept in the fridge until ready to eat, otherwise it becomes too soft.
  Soaking nuts is not necessary; you can just toast them.
• To make it easier to unmold, after removing from the freezer keep the fudge at room temperature for 10 minutes, coconut oil will soften and the fudge will slide out easily.