Raw Fudge Brownies with a Brazil Nut Crunch

Out of all the raw desserts I make, it surprises me that I haven't posted a recipe for raw brownies yet. You have Scott to thank for almost all of my raw dessert posts. This guy needs his dessert. Every. Night. It can become a real issue if there isn't something sweet for him to dig his teeth into after dinner. Unless I want my special bag of vegan chocolate chips devoured, or my high quality dark chocolate bar I was saving for a special unknown recipe in the future to disappear, I better have a dessert ready and waiting for my chocolate-loving-man to discover. Which I secretly love, because I could never eat all the raw desserts I crave to make on my own! I can be pretty boring when it comes to dessert, or what I call my post-dinner snack. Usually its a simple bowl of mixed raw nuts and dried fruit such as walnuts, cashews, almonds, and dried cranberries. But even I gave into these chocolate squares of goodness with Scott the other night. You just can't beat a simple raw brownie. I added in chopped brazil nuts for extra crunch, but feel free to leave them out or substitute in another one of your favorite nuts or seeds.

Ingredients

1/2 cup brazil nuts

2 cups GF rolled oats

1 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup raw cacao

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoons raw agave

2-3 tablespoons water

Begin by processing the brazil nuts in a food processor for 10-15 seconds until they are chopped into small pieces. Empty the brazil nut pieces into a mixing bowl. Add the rolled oats and cashews to the food processor and process until they resemble a fine meal. Add the raw cacao and cinnamon, then pulse a few times to incorporate. Add the vanilla and raw agave. Process and until crumbly, and then add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until the brownie batter is thick and sticky. With a spatula, scoop the brownie batter into the mixing bowl with the brazil nuts, and fold in the nut pieces. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment and press the brownie batter into it firmly. Freeze for 15 minutes, then remove the brownies by pulling out the parchment lining. Slice into 16 squares, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Raw Chocolate Fudge

It all started with an unused bad of raw Brazil nuts. I had boughten them thinking I would find a use for them, and there they sat in the pantry each week without a purpose. Until, that is, I discovered a recipe for raw fudge. I wasn't sure how it would come out, being a total experiment (and most my experiments don not come out entirely edible the first time around) but holy cow was I wrong! After making the batch first pictured below, I started thinking of all the ways you could alter this recipe... The combinations are seemingly endless. You could use any nut as your base, really, and then there are add-ins and toppings galore. I topped this first batch of Brazil but fudge with raw cashew cream, coconut, and raw cacao nibs. Then I decided to make my favorite flavor combination of them all - chocolate peanut butter fudge. Yep, you do just what you are thinking - substitute the brazil nuts for peanuts. Plus subtract the cinnamon and add a pinch of sea salt, and BAM you have chocolate peanut butter fudge. And get this - it is HEALTHY. Oh my, hold me back! I listed some optional toppings and add-ins below, but there are so many more I left out, so experiment away! 

Chocolate Brazil Nut Fudge

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

Brazil Nut Fudge
2 cups raw brazil nuts
1/4 cup caw cacao powder
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil, in its solid form
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
2 cups raw peanuts, unsalted (or roasted if not concerned with being raw)
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil, in its solid form
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Optional Toppings
Cashew cream recipe used here.
Raw shredded coconut
Raw cacao nibs

Optional Mix-in Ideas
Chopped nuts
Raw cacao nibs
Dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, goji berries)

For either of these fudge recipes (or any other ones you create modifying the two listed above) you must first ground the nuts in your food processor into a butter. The brazil nuts will take longer, so don't lose hope when it is taking forever. Use your spatula to continue to scrape down the sides until it magically begins to turn into a butter. The peanuts break down much quicker. After your nut butter is made, add the rest of the ingredients all at once. Process until all the ingredients are well incorporated and reach a smooth consistency. If adding any mix-ins, spoon your fudge into a mixing bowl and fold in your mix-ins now. Line a non-stick bread pan with parchment paper, and smooth your fudge into the container with a spatula (pressing down and smoothing until evenly spread). Refrigerate for an hour or two before slicing and serving. Simply pull on the parchment "wings" to remove the fudge from the container, slice, and either serve cold or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to consume. Top with toppings as you wish, or simply eat it by itself, it is that good.