Living Fudge

For those of you with a sweet tooth, especially a chocolate one, this post is for you. Well, to be fair, for a dessert these chunks of magic aren't terribly sweet. They will, however, tease your tongue with a touch of sugar, loads of deep cocoa flavor and plenty of rich coconut. The perfect finale to a special meal, this fudge is as unique as it is satisfying.

The kicker is that they actually contain live Alfalfa sprouts. Sprouts for dessert????? Yes my friends, it's true. Believe me, you will never know you are consuming little bursts of enzymatic wonder all while enjoying a decadent treat. In my friend Lylee's words, they are little piles of joy.

I recommend growing your own sprouts for this recipe. It is amazingly simple, and believe me, you will get addicted. There is nothing like watching a plant come to life in your kitchen, I swear it actually breathes life into the room.

Here is what you need:

2 tbs. of alfafa, radish or clover sprout seeds (you can find these at your local health food store, often in bulk)
1 quart size mason jar
Cheesecloth

Place the sprout seeds in the clean mason jar, fill with water to cover the seeds, fit a piece of cheesecloth on top and screw on the ring to secure (or use a rubber band).  Leave to soak overnight. In the morning, dispose of the water, fill and rinse once more, shake dry and leave to drain upside down (in a bowl or sink drainer). Continue to rinse morning and night, leaving inverted to drain in between, until your sprouts have reached the desired size. Sprouts should begin to appear within 1-2 days, and are usually done within 3-4. 


It is possible to sprout whole grains, nuts and seeds with the same process. Basically, you are bringing a dormant seed to life, and growing the start of a leaf stalk in your jar. Because of this special moment in the plant's life, when it is fighting to establish itself and survive, sprouts are extremely concentrated in certain protective nutrients (antioxidants) such as vitamin A and C, magnesium and chlorophyll (varying depending on the plant). To boot, the enzymatic activity is sky high. 



A few notes about the recipe before I begin. To make this a truly raw recipe use raw cacao powder. If you are a cheater (like I was last time), go ahead and make it with regular cocoa powder. Agave is a nice neutral sweetener with slightly malty notes, but it would be fun to experiment with raw honey or maple syrup as well. Be flexible with your sprouts too, clover sprouts are really nice as well. 






Living Fudge


3 cups shredded dried coconut
1/2 cup raw (or regular) cocoa powder
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup alfalfa sprouts

In a large food processor, combine everything but the sprouts. and pulse until well blended. Add the sprouts and process until a large clump forms. At this point, you can press the fudge into a baking pan  to cut into traditional cubes, or press it into mini-muffin or tart pans for a more elegant presentation. Chill to harden. Serve with fresh, colorful fruit.

Relax. Eat Well.