I grew up in a family where a dessert was the finishing part of almost every meal, and although I've long since lost the craving for confections after every dinner, I still occasionally enjoy having something around when the sweet tooth hits. But it's a very rare instance these days when I make a sugary dessert — in fact, I've hardly used white granulated sugar in years. Like my tastes in food generally, I've found that I much prefer healthier alternatives these days.
Making fudge from raw, natural and healthy ingredients is one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to enjoy those occasional indulgences. The preparation is nothing more than combining the few ingredients — usually a natural nut butter, a little natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup, and sometimes coconut oil or butter — and then refrigerating or freezing. Raw fudges are delicious and satisfying without the guilt of store-bought or sugar-laden baked treats.
The combination of medjool dates, cashew butter and a little maple syrup in this simple no-bake fudge tastes remarkably just like caramel and has the moist crumbly texture of soft toffee. Don't forget to scrape out every little bit of the fudge mixture from the bowl of the food processor to tide you over while the fudge sets.
