2-Ingredient Vegan Fudge (No Condensed Milk!)
Servings:24 pieces
This two-ingredient fudge is vegan, made with dark chocolate, and has the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture! Medjool dates create a creamy paste that softens the dark chocolate just the right amount so you can enjoy a rich, dense, creamy, and sweet fudge without dairy or sweetened condensed milk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates, packed (6 ounces)
- 12 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped (65 to 70% cacao) - or 2 cups chocolate chips; may use semi-sweet chocolate for extra sweet fudge; see Notes
- pinch of sea salt
Optional additions (see Notes for more ideas):
- extracts such as orange, almond, coffee or peppermint - Start with ½ tsp, taste and adjust
- ¾ cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or hazelnuts
Instructions
- Line a 5x7 inch glass storage container or a loaf pan with parchment paper. Let it overhang on two sides so you can easily lift the fudge out of the dish once it's set.
- Place pitted dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes.
- While the dates soak, melt about half of the chocolate using a double boiler or a microwave (to microwave, heat on high power in 30 second increments, stirring in between). Heat and stir until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.
- Lift the dates out of the water and transfer to a blender (there's no need to squeeze out any of the water or pat dry). Add ½ cup of the soaking water to the blender. This step requires patience! Blend until the dates are creamy, stopping to stir as needed. You can add 2 to 3 more tablespoon of water to help with blending. Next, add a generous pinch of salt and the melted chocolate. Continue to blend until smooth.
- Melt the remaining chocolate, and add it to the blender. If including extracts or other flavor additions, add those now. Blend until the fudge mixture is as smooth as possible. If including nuts, fold them in now.
- Spoon the fudge into the dish, and use a spoon or spatula to smooth the surface. Refrigerate the fudge for 2-3 hours or until firm. Lift out by the parchment paper, and cut into 24 squares. Tip: Use a large chef's knife, rinsing it under warm water and drying with a paper towel between cuts.
Notes
Chocolate - There are great resources online to help you find ethically sourced chocolates (see FAQs above). Tony's Chocolonely 70% bar and Equal Exchange 71% are two good options.
Variations - Feel free to mix-and-match ingredients that work well together, such as orange with walnuts, or mint with slivered almonds.
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- Nutty - stir in a huge handful of chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, peanuts, or hazelnuts before spooning into the dish/mold.
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- Orange - add the zest of one orange to the blender when you add the second round of melted chocolate. A splash of orange extract bumps up the flavor even more.
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- Mint - add up to 1 teaspoon peppermint extract.
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- Flaked sea salt - after spooning the fudge into the dish and smoothing the surface, sprinkle Maldon salt across the top.
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- Mocha fudge - replace a portion of the water used to blend the dates with brewed coffee or espresso, and add a splash of coffee extract. Another option is to add finely ground espresso or coffee powder to the blender.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3.5g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 10mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g
