Happy Road Fudge

Fudge. Vegan fudge. Vegan fudge that I fed to mixed company today, and which made everyone squeal with chocolatey delight. No one said, “I can’t believe this is vegan!” They just smiled happily as they tucked away piece after piece. Except for Michelle, who called my fudge stupid because she couldn’t stop eating it, despite her diet.

This recipe is modified from an America’s Test Kitchen recipe. Theirs is called Rocky Road. Mine is called Happy Road.

It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week, although you will probably notice that by the end of the week, the texture changes somewhat. It becomes a little denser and the marshmallows are a little less springy. But who am I kidding…it is so good that you won’t have any left by the end of the week anyways! So it is kind of a moot point.

Happy Road Fudge

Ingredients

• vegan shortening (or margarine), for greasing
• 2 tablespoon non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 1 1/4 cup non-dairy creamer (I like MimicCream for this but have used others as well)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon corn syrup (or agave nectar or simple syrup)
• 16 ounces dairy-free semisweet chocolate , chopped fine
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate , chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon chocolate extract (optional)
• 1 cup vegan marshmallows, chopped into small pieces (I like Sweet and Sara)
• extra powdered sugar (optional, for working with vegan marshmallows which can be sticky business)
• 1 cup chopped salted peanuts
• 1/2 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips

Put a pot of water on to simmer with 1-2 cups water.

Line an 8 inch square baking dish with foil, and use vegan shortening to generously grease the sides.

Whisk arrowroot powder into soy milk thoroughly, and set aside.

Toss chocolates, baking soda, and salt in medium heatproof bowl until baking soda is evenly distributed.

In a small saucepan, heat soy creamer and corn syrup until it just begins to boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the arrowroot/soy milk slurry. The mixture will thicken a touch. Pour over chocolate.

Whisk soy milk/creamer mixture, vanilla, and chocolate extract (if using) into chocolate, and set bowl over the saucepan containing simmering water. Stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is almost fully melted and few small pieces remain, 2 to 4 minutes.

Remove bowl from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Fold in marshmallows, peanuts, and chocolate chips. Transfer fudge to prepared pan and spread in even layer with spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Remove fudge from pan and remove foil. Cut into squares. To cut nice neat squares, keep a clean damp dishtowel or paper towel handy and clean the knife before each cut.

Anything that doesn’t get eaten right away can be stored in the refrigerator. Use wax paper between layers to keep the fudge from sticking to itself, and enjoy within one week.