Warning... this recipe is not suitable for those unable to stop at just one serving of dessert! Just kidding -- got you covered with a small batch recipe here ? Small, but so incredibly flavorful and simple I'm pretty sure you'll be making another batch in no time.
What's so special about this fudge, besides the fact it takes about 5-10 mins of active time to make it, is its unique flavor thanks to the star ingredient: lucuma powder.
I know, I know... that's two recipes back-to-back with a likely unidentifiable substance for some of you, but hey, my job is to show you new yummy things here. And if you're into sweet, refined sugar-free things, lucuma should definitely be on your radar.
Lucuma is a fruit, very commonly used in South America and also in places like the Philippines. In its natural state it's sort of chalky / powdery, and is wonderful when used in smoothies, ice cream, and wholesome desserts. It's naturally sweet, with a flavor that reminds me of maple syrup or toffee a bit. Unique and hard to describe, but lovely.
And it's great for cutting down on sugar in certain recipes, as lucuma powder is just dehydrated (and naturally low glycemic) powdered fruit. You can typically find it in health food shops or online quite easily -- unless you're lucky enough to have a fruit tree in your yard, that is. No such luck here.
In this fudge it added a lovely fruity accent to the already creamy and mild flavored cashew butter. So yummy, I had a hard time stopping at just one ?
I made it in a small batch in my tiny springform, but you can simply use any container lined with parchment instead. The springform was really easy to use though, and worked a treat.
P.S. if you're into quick freezer fudge, you might also like this raw brownie fudge recipe or this raspberry almond fudge. And if you're into lucuma, there's a lovely raw lucuma brownies recipe in my book Unconventional Treats.
PrintCashew Lucuma Fudge
Simple, incredibly flavorful raw vegan fudge recipe made with lucuma powder. Creamy, fruity, and refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Slices
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp cashew butter
- ½ cup lucuma powder
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Dusting:
- a tablespoon of extra lucuma powder
Instructions
- Process all ingredients until well blended in a food processor. Transfer to a 5" springform pan (or a small tupperware container lined with parchment paper) and press down to flatten and compress and level out the top.
- Freeze for 4-5 hours to set, then remove from pan, dust with extra lucuma powder (use a mesh sieve to sprinkle the powder evenly), cut into pieces, thaw out a bit and enjoy. Store leftovers in the fridge for a softer consistency or freeze for long term storage.
Rachel says
I appreciate that this recipe is vegan, oil-free, coconut milk-free, and gluten-free. Amazing. Tastes of caramel and maple are delicious. Thank you for this recipe that turned out great. Would bring for a potluck too. God Bless!!!
Audrey says
Hi Rachel. Thanks so much for the feedback. So happy to hear the recipe worked to your liking!
Lisette says
I am just curious as to why you say 8 tbs of cashew butter and 1/2 cup of lucuma since 8 tbs = 1/2 cup...?
Audrey says
Hi Lisette. Yes, you're right, they're both equivalent. I think I wrote it that way because of how I bake and the utensils I use :). It's just what makes sense in my head. For cashew butter, because of its density it's hard to scoop out half a cup with a measuring cup so I use a 2 tbsp cookie scoop with a release trigger instead. The other thing is that most cashew butter jars don't fit a measuring cup through the neck. So inevitably some other utensil would need to be used first to get the butter out of the jar and into a measuring cup... I sometimes use a regular stainless steel tbsp (and scoop the butter out of it with a spoon) when I don't have access to my cookie scoop. In theory though someone could just fill a measuring cup with cashew butter first with some other utensil and then scoop it out of it again with another utensil (I just find this kind of messy / extra work). For the lucuma powder, it's usually easy for me to reach into the bag with a 1/4 cup measuring cup, hence "cups." In short, it's just my whimsy / how the process goes in my head is how I record it :)
tiara says
will the recipe work if you use fresh lucuma also?
Audrey says
Hi Tiara. No unfortunately I don't think so as the dehydrated lucuma is very concentrated and doesn't have any liquid. I suspect fresh lucuma would make this into like a "butter" consistency and you would also need to use a significant amount of it (equivalent to powdered amount) to get the same level of sweetness (though I haven't been able to see any equivalents information online so far in terms of how much powder a lucuma fruit makes).
Jo says
It come out way to crumbly so I added 2 more TB of cashew butter and 2 TB coconut oil and 2 TB more maple syrup to get it to hold together.
Audrey says
Hi Jo, that's odd, but I'm glad you were able to rescue the recipe. Did you change anything at all in the ingredients otherwise by any chance? Just trying to understand why it would come out dry for you.
Natalia says
It looks like 'ptechie moloko' sweets, or mybe they are even better thinking of the combination between cashews and lucuma! Thanks for this easy recipe, Audrey, it looks so-so delicious!
Audrey says
It's such a good combo :) Love it.
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
This is perfect! A powder I never know what to do with turned into a dessert that I already have all the ingredients to make. And the small batch-ness is much appreciated, it does look quite addictive in those little fudgey slices :D
Audrey says
Hehe. Lucuma is great. I know a lot of people use it as a sweetener substitute, but that never quite works for me on its own, but with a hint of maple it's great. Also it can be sort of gritty, so best in recipes like fudge or a raw cake in my opinion, or anything that breaks down and masks the gritty effect...