The past two nights I set 5 places at the dinner table and I could not have been more grateful or HAPPY. Â All three of my kids are home, and although it will be a short time that we’re all together, I’ll take what I can get! Â I am going to pull back a little from social media and lengthy blogposts in the very short term, so bear with me. Â I have to walk the talk and enjoy some balance in my life. Â So I am going to spend some more time with my kids over the next week or so. Â And then I have to get cracking on several projects which I have mentioned in a previous post. Â It’s all super exciting, but something’s gotta give!Continue reading
It’s practically summertime and my cooking/entertaining strategy has already shifted. I’m making mental notes of easy-breezy recipes with lots of color and freshness. Â Even though I feel comfortable cooking any recipe in any cookbook, I don’t feel as though I have to prove anything to my family and friends. Â That’s not why I invite them over. Â I’m all about having fun and not creating more work for myself, especially in the summer!Continue reading
I am so excited to share a recipe on the site with tempeh, a fermented soy product that I really like and one that I have been using much more since Mr. Pamela Salzman (LOL) became WFPB (aka whole food plant-based.) Â Tempeh may not be as mainstream as tofu, but I think it’s actually more nutritious and I like it just as much. Â Tempeh is made by fermenting cooked soybeans and then pressing the mixture into firm slabs. Â Most of the tempeh I see in supermarkets may also contain beans, grains and seasonings. Â And actually, there’s a Korean vendor at my local farmers market who makes “tempah” with no soy, only beans.Continue reading
I love trying new eats and drinks and learning about different kinds of foods and flavor combinations. Â It is one of my favorite things in life! Â A few years ago, I was curious about a drink on the menu at Gjelina Restaurant in Venice, California which was described as a fruit-based drinking vinegar. Â Huh? Â But the waiter convinced me that this so-called “shrub” was quite refreshing, as well as tangy and delicious. Â I am a huge fan of apple cider vinegar and I often add it to my water during the day. Â So I figured a shrub wouldn’t be too far off.Continue reading
I have had the pleasure of reading and cooking from several books recently that have been written by friends. Â The latest is “I Love California” by California native and celebrity interior designer, Nathan Turner. Â Nathan is the sweetest guy and uber talented. Â I met him at Jenni Kayne’s house many years ago for a shoot for Jenni’s blog. Â I was doing the food and Nathan was doing the decor. Â His taste in everything design-related is impeccable, but he is also a great cook. Â Who knew??!!
I was looking for something sweet recently, but my only options were several pints of vegan and non-vegan ice cream, or a bag of chocolate chips. Â I remembered this chocolate fudge which I posted on my blog a few years ago, and spontaneously made it with the excuse that the images needed a makeover. Â This recipe is so easy and it is my favorite “healthy” chocolate treat. Â I have been disappointed time and time again after being seduced by claims of a healthy fudge recipe, only to find out it was basically frozen chocolate-flavored coconut oil. Â I love coconut oil just as much as the next coconut lover, but I’m not so into eating a big chunk of it for my afternoon snack, especially if it always tastes like coconut, not just plain chocolate fudge. Â Not only that, coconut fudge turns into a greasy, shapeless blob if left out of the freezer for more than 10 minutes. Â I found this out the hard way after serving it to dinner guests one night! Â #rookiemove
Anyway, one day I made note of the fact that some of my favorite chocolate nut butters turn super firm in the fridge and it reminded me of fudge. Â Bingo! Â Nut butter instead of coconut oil! Â I played around with different nut butters, with cacao powder versus chocolate, different sweeteners and the result is this dangerously addictive, chocolaty, creamy, perfectly sweet, sink-your-teeth-into-it fudge. Â Is it exactly like fudge? Â Like See’s Candy fudge? Â No, not exactly. Â But I actually like it better! Â This fudge is not cloyingly sweet, doesn’t make me feel light-headed afterwards, and I think has a richer flavor than “normal” fudge. Â Plus, considering the fact that this is mostly nut butter, I can convince myself that this makes a perfectly acceptable afternoon or post-workout snack.
So I gave you all the good news. Â Here’s the bad news. Â This is expensive to make. Â It probably costs less than buying a box of fudge at a fancy store, but the nut butter that gives the perfect consistency for this fudge is pricey. Â I tried to make this with so many different nut butters:
*July 2023 updated I now use JOI Cashew Milk Concentrate which is how I make cashew milk, but I also use it in place of raw cashew butter and instead of soaked raw cashews. Use code PAMELASALZMAN for 10% off.
Living Tree Community Foods raw cashew butter — excellent (contains a little almond oil, I think that’s the key) $15.20/16 ounce jar if you order from their website. Â I wasn’t charged shipping, but I ordered quite a bit. Â At Whole Foods, the same cashew butter is $23. Â Yikes. Â You need half a jar for 1 recipe of fudge.
Artisana raw cashew butter — VERY GOOD
Whole Foods raw cashew butter from the DIY machine — NOT RECOMMENDED (too grainy, not smooth, super dry)
Woodstock raw almond butter — GOOD, but not as perfectly smooth as LTCF cashew butter. Â More reasonably priced though, so if that’s an issue, the fudge will still turn out great.
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How about some more good news?!  😉  This lasts for weeks well-wrapped in the refrigerator or the freezer.  (I just store in small Glass-lock containers.)  You can make it today for Mother’s Day and if you have leftovers, just keep them cold until your sweet tooth strikes.  These are not great for lunch boxes or traveling though, because they will become too soft when left out of the refrigerator for more than an hour, and even less if it’s a warm day.  Although I didn’t do it in the photos, you could take little balls of the fudge and roll them around shredded coconut or use this for the center of truffles.  Gasp.  Or you can play around with different flavors and add dried cherries, or a pinch of cinnamon and cayenne for a Mexican chocolate version.  I even think you could sub a smooth peanut butter for a peanut butter version or just swirl peanut butter throughout.  You obviously don’t need to add more nuts, but if you love the idea of a hazelnut fudge, stir in some chopped hazelnuts!  Any way you slice it, this fudge is dangerously addictive!
I love seeing your creations!  Please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman on Instagram so I can check out what you make.  🙂  Also, if you’re taking my online cooking classes, be sure to tune in Saturday, May 12 at 9:00 am PT/12:00 pm ET for a Facebook Live!
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You can shop the tools I used for this recipe by clicking on the images below!
I'm sure you could skip the dates and use dark chocolate instead of the unsweetened chocolate, but I haven't tried it.
Ingredients
2 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate (4 squares of a Sunspire bar)
1 cup raw cashew butter* or raw almond butter (the smoother, the better)
4 pitted dates ( I use Medjool)
¼ cup pure maple syrup, Grade A or Grade B
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch salt
Instructions
Place the squares of chocolate on the bottom of the bowl and then the nut butter on top in a double boiler or a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir to combine until melted and well blended.
Meanwhile, combine the pitted dates, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Process until well combined.
Add date mixture to chocolate mixture, and stir to combine well using a wooden spoon or spatula. Or if your food processor is strong enough, put the chocolate mixture in the food processor and pulse to combine.
Pour into a parchment-lined loaf pan (8½ x 4½ or 9 x 5)** or double and spread in an 8 x 8-inch pan, and refrigerate until firm, at least a few hours. Cut into squares and serve. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
Nice topped with flaky sea salt
*The best consistency will be realized with JOI Cashew Milk Concentrate or Living Tree Community Foods raw cashew butter
I love cooking and baking and I do think my recipes are very solid and taste delicious. Â BUT, I am not great at food styling. Â Maybe I am better than my husband or a few of my friends, but I feel totally inadequate in this department, especially after seeing the unbelievable talent on Instagram or Pinterest. Â The truth is, I don’t have a lot of patience for food styling, I’m not that creative, and I don’t have three hours to design a smoothie bowl (a food blogger shared with the NY Post that she spends that much time on her smoothie bowl creations.) Â Yikes.
This recipe and blogpost have been hanging out in my drafts folder since last year when I taught this in my classes! Â There have been so many holidays pushing this recipe out, but thank goodness peanut butter and jelly is an evergreen combination. Â There are certain classics that will never go out of style and that appeal to almost everyone. Â These bars were a huge hit last year and I know you’ll love them, too!Continue reading
