I am normally not into desserts. But this one is a definite winner in my book. There is no cooking involved. Just four simple, but delicious ingredients go into this fudge:
- 72% or higher dark chocolate chunks (I use Simple Truth Organic 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Chunks)
- Creamy cashew butter (I like this variety)
- Walnuts
- Dried goji berries
You can get creative and change up the ingredients. If you have nut allergies, substitute the nuts with chia, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. If you prefer almond butter, use it. Hate walnuts? Use pistachios or pecans. Want things a little salty? Sprinkle Himalayan pink salt. Don’t have goji berries in your pantry? Substitute with raisins or dried cranberries.
Give this to friends and neighbors as holiday gifts, but make sure to save some for yourself! You can easily freeze them in an airtight container for later use.
Why Is This Healthy?
Dark chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants and minerals and may help lower the risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation and insulin resistance, and improve brain function. Nuts are rich in heart-healthy fats which lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol; plus, they are a good source of phytosterols, compounds that help lower blood cholesterol. They are packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamin E, potassium and magnesium.
The Recipe
A decadent four-ingredient, no-baking, dairy-free dessert that you and your family can enjoy guilt-free and distribute as a thoughtful gift to friends and family.
Special diet: Gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, vegan
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Resting time in refrigerator: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Serves: 20 people
Calories: 211 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups dark chocolate – chips/chunks – 72% or higher (10 ounces approximately)
- 1 cup cashew butter – I use this
- 1 cup walnuts – broken into halves
- ½ cup goji berries – save 20 berries to sprinkle on top
METHOD
- Pour water into an Instant Pot (IP) and place a trivet into it. Place a stainless or glass dish on the trivet, making sure the water does not touch the dish. You can make this in a double boiler, too. Add chocolate chips and put the IP to “steam” mode.
- Stir occasionally with a spatula as the chocolate starts to melt. Within 8-10 minutes, the chocolate chips will melt completely.
- Once the chocolate is melted, turn off the IP and remove the dish. Blend in the cashew butter with a hand-mixer until it is smooth and has no chunks.
- Add walnuts and goji berries (saving some for the garnish) and mix with a spatula.
- Pour this mix into an 8×8 parchment-lined baking tray. Even it out using the back of the spatula.
- Sprinkle the rest of the goji berries on top. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Peel the parchment paper off the fudge and place it on a cutting board. With a serrated knife, score vertical cuts, each about an inch apart. Use gentle pressure to make the vertical cuts.
- Turn the cutting board 90 degrees and cut the fudge into 1-inch squares.
- Store in the refrigerator. The fudge freezes well. Store in an airtight container in freezer.
Notes
*Use organic ingredients wherever possible
For the full recipe, go to https://healthy-indian.com/recipes/vegan-walnut-goji-berry-fudge/
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