hello world! + dark chocolate coconut fudge

Hello there world! Welcome to my little corner of the interwebs. It seems like I've been thinking about starting a gluten free blog to share my recipes and photography for FOREVER. And, ta-da, I'm finally doing it! I love cooking and baking and thought that it would be fun to share these recipes and photos, and also to show people that allergy-conscious food can still look and taste delicious! So, here goes!

Since we are full swing into the holiday season, why not start with fudge? Whenever I think of fudge, I instantly think about Christmas. Our family would always receive fudge from friends for the holidays; it's the perfect gift to give and receive! Fudge is so versatile -- you can really go crazy with different flavors and customize the fudge for friends and family. AND you can wrap it up in really cute little boxes with ribbon. Score.

For this recipe, I took a really basic, foolproof fudge recipe and subbed in dark chocolate for the standard milk chocolate. I then added in some shredded coconut for some extra deliciousness. The coconut pairs really nicely with the dark chocolate; it adds some sweetness to balance off the bitterness of the chocolate. And, between the antioxidants in the dark chocolate and the healthy fats in the coconut, you could almost argue that this fudge is good for you. Really. It's healthy. At least that's what I tell myself everytime I eat a piece. Or two. Okay, or maybe three.


Dark Chocolate Coconut Fudge
gluten free, soy free

Ingredients
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand is good)
1 1o oz bag of Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of Enjoy Life or Theo Organic dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup Earth Balance soy free spread, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Grease a 9 x 9 inch pan with Earth Balance soy free spread. Then, in a large saucepan add the combine the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, chopped chocolate, and Earth Balance spread. Cook over a low heat and stir often so that the chocolate mixture doesn't burn. Cook until all ingredients are melted and well combined. Remove from heat and add vanilla and shredded coconut; stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into the buttered pan, smooth out, and sprinkle some additional coconut on top. Put the pan in the refrigerator and let the fudge set for at least two hours. When fudge is all set, let sit at room temperature for a bit, cut up into squares, and enjoy! Or, if you're impatient like me, run a knife under some hot water to make it easier to cut the fudge.

This recipe is MADE for riffing. You can definitely go traditional and use milk chocolate. Or switch it up and use some white chocolate! Add a layer of caramel and finish it off with a sprinkling of Maldon sea salt. Chop up some peppermint and stir it in. Add in some toffee! But probably not all at the same time. Go crazy, have fun, and enjoy!

[print recipe]