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 Triple Layer Mint Fudge Brownies

These brownies and me go way back. The fudgy, decadent, brownie with two sugary fudge layers topping it off would always send my taste buds to the moon. Not to mention there is a mint layer of fudge in there - don't even get me started on how much I crave mint and chocolate together this time of year! Therefore, I thought it made sense to include a healthy, raw recipe of these in my Christmas-treats-gone-healthy series this season. I have two words for the raw version of these brownies - OH MY. These not only compete with the real thing in flavor, but may be one of my favorite raw desserts of all time. I said it. Really creating a lot of hype I know but I have fallen in love. Here is to nutritiously eating our way through the holidays without missing out on one darn thing.

Ingredients

Brownie Layer
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
2-3 tablespoons raw agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon of water

Mint Layer
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup dried coconut (shredded and unsweetened)
1 tablespoon raw honey (raw agave or imitation honey work too)
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (in liquid form)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or peppermint oil)

Chocolate Layer
1/2 cup raw cacao
1/2 cup virgin coconut oil (in liquid form)
2 tablespoons raw honey or agave

Prepare an 8x8 inch pan for your brownies by lining it with parchment paper, and brush any exposed pan areas with some coconut oil. Combine the cashews and almonds for the brownie layer in a food processor and process until it resembles a coarse meal. Add in the raw cacao and pulse to incorporate. Now add the agave and cinnamon. Process until well combined and crumbly. Add a tablespoon of water and process until it starts whirling around the bowl in a ball. Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan and press out evenly, creating your brownie layer. Clean out your food processor bowl and blade.

Make the mint layer by processing the cashews and coconut until they resemble a coarse meal. Then add in the raw honey (or raw agave or imitation honey if you do not eat honey), coconut oil, and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract/oil. Process this mixture well until it becomes smooth. Taste and add additional peppermint extract/oil if desired. Then spread the mint layer on top of the brownie layer.

Lastly, make the chocolate layer for the top by combining all the ingredients listed for the layer above, and pouring it on top of the mint layer. Make sure it coats the entire top evenly, and then wrap the pan in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before slicing. Store the squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to consume.

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.