five minute cashew maple fudge

               It may be July, but you wouldn't have known it the way the weather has been behaving for the past few weeks here. Windy, rainy days and cold nights that called for an extra blanket or two -- and, unfortunately, that extra blanket fails to do the job when you happen to share a bed with a blanket thief (I wish I could say that weren't my case).

                         Okay, don't hate me.. but.. I'm not the biggest fan of summer, I just don't like heat. Sticky, sweaty skin and the annual re-emergence of our dear old friends, the mosquito hordes, aren't quite my cup of tea. Give me a cool fall day, a warm cup of coffee and a cozy wrap sweater and I'm one happy camper. That being said, even I appreciated the little burst of sunshine we received after days of gloomy grey skies. 

                     Without question, one of the things I can really appreciate about summer is eating an abundance of fresh, raw foods. While for some people this is purely due to the start of local farmer's markets and CSA's, a large part of it for me is simply my struggle to  avoid turning on the oven or stove as much as possible (okay, I really don't like heat).

        Problem: the need for delectable desserts on a mealy daily basis without heat.

        Solution: this fudge.


            Nut butter is the stuff dreams are made of. Rich, creamy, roasted dreams.
           

            
                I didn't have high expectations for cashew butter since I became peanut butter's official number one fan a couple years ago. Luckily, I was blown away. Stirred up with a few simple additions it lends itself wonderfully to a sweet and salty freezer fudge which lands somewhere between peanut butter cups and cookie dough.

This recipe doesn't really need many instructions. If you have five minutes to spare, you can make this. If you don't have the time to spare, you should probably hire someone to make this.

Five Minute Cashew Maple Fudge
Creamy cashew butter becomes dense, sweet and salty fudge with only five minutes of prep work. If peanut butter cups and cookie dough fell for each other in the winter, this would be their child.
Ingredient				Amount
Cashew Butter (Roasted)				1 Cup
Pure Maple Syrup				1/2 Cup + 1.5 Tablespoons
Coconut Oil (Melted)				1/4 Cup
Vanilla				1 Teaspoon
Salt				1.5-2 Teaspoons (adjust to taste)
Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips				1/2 Cup
Notes:
1. You could substitute other nut butters but only use natural varieties. The consistency of others will not produce the same result. If you're near the bottom of your jar and there isn't much oil left in the butter, add a couple of extra tablespoons of coconut oil.
2. I used close to 2 teaspoons of salt because it works well with roasted cashew butter. You may need to adjust it if you change the nut butter. Keep in mind that the taste of cold foods is less intense than at room temperature.

Preparation:

        1. Mix cashew butter and maple syrup in medium bowl. 

      2. Melt coconut oil, measure 1/4 cup and add to bowl. Mix.
      
      3. Add vanilla, salt, chocolate chips (if using). Mix.

      4. Spray a baking or tupperware dish with cooking oil (helps the parchment paper to stick in the corners), line with parchment paper, spray the parchment paper. 

      
     5. Pour in mixture, smoothing out into the corners to achieve your desired thickness. If your container is too big for the amount of batter, spread only as far as you want, the consistency of the batter will hold it in place.


     6. Place in freezer, uncovered,  until hard (about an hour). Cut and enjoy!

        Store these in the freezer, wrapped in parchment paper. Because of the coconut oil, they will melt slightly. You may want to let them sit at room temperature for a minute to let them soften a bit before eating if they have been frozen for a long time.