Pumpkin Freezer Fudge, my New Addiction

One bite of creamy, melt-in-your-mouth, decadent Pumpkin Freezer Fudge will have you moaning with pleasure and hiding the rest of the pan to keep it for yourself. (Skip to recipe.)

All things pumpkin are on my mind, of course, since it's only days from Halloween.

Last weekend we had our annual pumpkin-carving gathering. The artistry and creativity of our pumpkin carving crew always amazes me. It's a busy hive of 'squashy' activity - pumpkin flesh and pumpkin guts everywhere. The nutty smell of pumpkin seeds being roasted fills the air, and pumpkin soup fills our bellies afterward.

The best part of the evening is when it gets dark and we light up the jack o'lanterns to finally see the results of our labours. It's a rewarding moment, as we all crowd together in the dark to see those smiling, scary faces.

This pumpkin freezer fudge was a part of our dessert platter and it disappeared first. I've got a new batch in the freezer right now and it's all I can do to keep myself from inhaling the whole pan and never telling the family it was there to start with!

You can not believe how creamy and pumpkin-pie-y it tastes. The toasted walnuts add a rich crunch, but your tongue will revel in that melting fudgey lusciousness of every single bite. It's not too sweet, and it's made with good-for-you ingredients, like coconut oil, almond butter, coconut sugar, spices, and of course, pumpkin.

Can you believe it? A fudge that is actually good for you? And it's best straight from the freezer - so you can make a whole pan and keep it frozen for months so you have an instant treat if company drops by! (Who am I kidding? You must  hide it deeeeeep in the depths, under the frozen cauliflower and frozen fish bait, and behind the freezer-burnt chicken gizzards - so no one else could ever find it . . . except you.)

You have got to try this. That. Is. All.

* * * * *

Kitchen Frau Notes: If you want to make this recipe vegan and are using brown sugar, make sure it's organic.

You could also substitute pecans for the walnuts.

Pumpkin Freezer Fudge

gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegan

• ½ cup (125gms) pure pumpkin puree, canned or well-drained homemade
• 1 cup (150gms) coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar or maple sugar)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup (120ml) almond or cashew butter
• 1 cup (240ml) coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup (100gms) toasted walnuts (*see below)

Line an 8 x 8 inch (20 x20 cm) square baking dish with a parchment paper sling that sticks up above the pan on two sides. Crease the paper along the two bottom edges so that it lies flat in the pan and goes straight up the sides.

*To toast walnuts - place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown and smelling toasty. Let them cool and rub off any loose skins.

In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, spices, salt, and apple cider vinegar.

Whisk in the almond butter, then add the melted coconut oil. Use an immersion blender (stick blender) to blend the mixture until smooth (or whiz it all together in a regular blender). You may have to push the immersion blender up and down into the mixture to get it to start mixing.

Chop the walnuts coarsely and stir them into the fudge mixture.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Chill the mixture in the fridge until firm. 3 to 4 hours.

Run a knife along the edges of the pan without parchment paper to loosen the fudge. Remove the slab of fudge from the pan by pulling up gently on the two parchment paper flaps, and lay the whole slab on a cutting board. Cut the slab into 36 squares. Remove the squares into a freezer container, putting pieces of wax paper or parchment paper between the layers to prevent them from sticking. Store in the freezer and eat straight from frozen. They can also be stored in the fridge.

Makes 36 highly addictive freezer fudge squares.

Guten Appetit!

 

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