Pumpkin Chocolate Freezer Fudge
Yep, more pumpkin. We told you it was
coming! But this one is more of a treat yo' self kinda recipe. When I
was growing up, we always picked apples and pumpkin at Bailey's, the
family-owned orchard down the street. Mrs. Bailey would always make the
richest, most amazing chocolate & peanut butter fudge, and it was a
tradition to get a square before we left the orchard. I know it was full
of sugar, but it was heaven. I can still taste it.
Now as an adult, and one who watches my
sugar intake at that, fudge isn't something we make often. But with this
crazy hot weather we're still having in Souther California, I was
CRAVING some fall. That being said, we all deserve a
treat, and being freezer fudge, its easy to eat just a piece of week and
preserve the goodness for months to come. Plus, I'm a SUCKER for
pumpkin/ chocolate combos, and the velvety, rich pumpkin layer
compliments the dark chocolate beautifully. So today, instead of
trick-or-treat, we say TREAT YO' SELF! I think even Mrs. Bailey would
approve.
INGREDIENTS:
Chocolate Fudge Layer:
1/4 cup vegan butter or coconut oil
4 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon boiling water
Pumpkin Fudge Layer:
1/4 cup vegan butter or coconut oil
2 ounces cashew butter (or nut butter of your choice)
2 ounces pumpkin purée
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon boiling water
DIRECTIONS:
Chocolate Fudge Layer:
Using the double-boiler method
(a bowl placed in in a saucepan of boiling water WITHOUT touching the
water), heat the butter and chocolate together until melted, stirring
occasionally. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in half of the
confectioners sugar. Add a tablespoon of the boiling water from your pan
to the mixture, and stir to remove any lumps. Add in the remaining
confectioners sugar and stir like a madwoman (or madman!) until the
mixture is smooth. Press into a waxed-paper lined 8x8 baking dish and
set aside while you make the pumpkin layer.
Pumpkin Fudge Layer:
Using the double-boiler method (a
bowl placed in in a saucepan of boiling water WITHOUT touching the
water), heat the butter, cashew butter, pumpkin purée, and vanilla
together until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the
pan and stir in half of the confectioners sugar. Add a tablespoon of the
boiling water from your pan to the mixture, and stir to remove any
lumps. Add in the remaining confectioners sugar and stir like crazy
again until the mixture is completely smooth. Pour the mixture over the
chocolate layer, then tap the baking dish gently on the counter to
smooth and remove any bubbles. Place the baking dish in the freezer to
set, for at least 3 hours.
When ready, remove the fudge from the baking
dish by pulling the waxed paper out. Place block of fudge onto a flat
surface, like a sitting board, and use a large fat knife to cut into
1-in. squares. Store uneaten fudge in the freezer indefinitely. Enjoy!