Yes.. It's Fudge...

"Dear Lord!  He's NOT doing THAT!?!"

"Doing what?!?"

"He's making FUDGE!!!!"

"Who?!?"

"The Bariatric Food Dude!!"

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I haven't sold you out for 30 pieces of silver and a brief sugar high.  I'm giving in to my own personal weakness.  In my pre-bariatric world, my one sure diet deal breaker was homemade fudge - and those who've eaten mine will tell you, it was a bit of smooth chocolate heaven that coated the inside of your mouth and brought happiness and light to the world.

BUT...  I'm not going to give you that recipe.  I'm giving you this one, that requires no candy thermometer, has all the same magnificent properties AND satisfies the "low carb" requirement.




Ingredients:

1/4 lb Butter (one stick)

2 oz. Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate (100% Cocoa)

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

1 8 oz. package Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 - 1 Cup any Zero Carb sweetener of your choice (adjust amount to your taste)

Tiny pinch of salt to counteract the bitter chocolate

Instructions:

Place butter and chocolate in a bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals till just melted.

Add vanilla and sweetener to chocolate butter and blend together.

Place softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and pour chocolate mixture over it.
With a hand mixer mix about 2 minutes.
Pour into a greased pan. I use a 6 x 8 pan 

Place in your freezer until solid

Cut into squares

Now comes the only hard part.....WAIT 24 HOURS...

I'm not trying to test your willpower.  I just found it a little bit too bitter from the chocolate and a little too tart from the cream cheese after an hour in the freezer - but the next day, the flavors melded, the clouds parted, the sun shone down, the doves flew away and I'm PRETTY SURE I heard angels singing...  It's worth the wait.  If you can't wait, taste yours immediately after it freezes and again the next day - I think you'll agree with me.

Cook's Notes : 

I'm experimenting with sweeteners, so I used a combination of erythritol and monk fruit, but you can use the sweetener of your choice

Nuts are optional, but walnuts, macadamia, pecans and pistachios all work wonderfully

No need to limit yourself to chocolate, a few drops of mint oil and you're making homemade Andes mints
Stir in some instant coffee and you've got a mocha bar

Eschew the chocolate for peanut butter and you've got ANOTHER taste treat

If you choose to NOT freeze it, this makes and incredible frosting for the Black Bean chocolate cake or some VERY decadent Black Bean Brownies

I keep the fudge stored in the refrigerator or freezer in plastic bags.  I suppose it would last in there indefinitely, but 5 days and mine seem to disappear!

Makes 24 pieces at 0.5g carbs per piece.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories 84
Total Fat 8.3g	11%
Saturated Fat 5.3g	26%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 21mg	7%
Sodium 55mg	2%
Potassium 13mg	0%
Total Carb 1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0.5g Effective Carb 0.5g	2%
Sugars 0.1g
Protein 1.1g