Chunk Berry Fudge Shortbread Bars

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

There is a lot to be said about these beautiful shortbread one-bite-wonder bars.   It takes, but just one bite, and your mouth will fill with a flood of sheer yumminess!

Let me describe it to you;  The fudge allows your teeth to nestle right in, bringing home that feeling of pure comfort. Then you detect the buttery, golden-colored, sweet, and crumbly shortbread.

The fudge is full of wondrous surprises… the walnuts cause tiny pockets of crunch, the dried cranberries, oh their sweetness, their tartness, their chewiness… they cause time to suspend and as a result creates a coating of deep, rich orange-infused chocolate to coat your mouth (inside and out :).  Then comes the swallow, the moans, the eyes get lost in the back of the head… and the tummy sends a signal to the brain, it wants MORE!

So all-in-all, not bad. Hehe,  I meant every word I said.  I do my best never to steer you wrong.   I love sweets, and I do monitor my intake, but this sweet treat brought my taste buds so much joy in just one little bite.  I loved the fact that the shortbread tones down the richness of the chocolate.

This sweet treat is also protein-packed.  Just in case you haven’t scanned through the ingredient list, I put one cup of raw natural protein powder in the recipe.  I provided a link below to the brand that I used.   I can’t comment on how other protein powders would work.  Well, they would work, just not too sure about the flavor.

Over the years, I have tried and tested so many protein powders, and if you have as well, then you know first hand that each one tastes different.   It took me quite a few tries to find this one, and I am delighted with it.   So if you decide to try your protein powder, I would love to hear what you used and how it tasted.

There are two other ingredients that I wanted to quickly touch base upon because I know some of you will be wondering…  Oats.  I suggested to soak and dehydrate them.  The link below will explain why if you are new to using oats in such a manner.

The key is to dehydrate it before adding to the recipe.  Sometimes, depending on the recipe, you can use the oats right after the soaking process, but because this recipe doesn’t require dehydrating, the oats need to be dry.   Secondly, lecithin. Sunflower lecithin is made up of essential fatty acids and B vitamins.  It helps to support the healthy function of the brain, nervous system, and cell membranes.  It also lubricates joints; helps break up cholesterol in the body.   With that being said, if you don’t want to use it or don’t have any lecithin, you can skip it… make sure to keep the bars chilled.

Ingredients:

yields 8 x 8 pan

Shortbread: (2 3/4 cup batter)

• 2 cups rolled, gluten-free oats, soaked & dehydrated
• 1 cup natural protein powder
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 6 Tbsp coconut butter/manna, softened
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4  tsp butterscotch flavoring

Fudge:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp orange extract
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
• 2 Tbsp sunflower lecithin powder
• 1/2 cup diced, dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, soaked & dehydrated

Garnish: (optional)

• 1/4 cup crushed raw walnuts, soaked & dehydrated
• 1 Tbsp orange zest

Preparation:

Shortbread:

1. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Bring it up to the sides.  Set aside.
2. Place the oats in a food processor, fitted with an “S” blade, process to a medium flour texture.
3. Add protein powder, salt, and pulse together.
4. Add the coconut manna, sweetener, and flavoring. Process until it reaches a dough-like texture. If needed, add 1-2 Tbsp of water.
5. Knead the shortbread with your hands, working everything together.
6. Press the batter into the pan that you had set aside.  Press firmly and evenly.  Set aside.

Fudge:

1. In a food processor, fitted with an “S” blade,  process together with the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, orange extract, cacao powder, and lecithin. Process until it resembles a creamy chocolate sauce.
2. Hand mix in the cranberries and walnuts.
3. Pour over the shortbread and with a spatula, spread the fudge out evenly.
4. Place in the fridge to set and chill.
5. Storage;  On the countertop, it will hold up for approximately 24 hours.  (my test pieces were all eaten by then (BOB!), so may last even longer).  In the fridge 1-2 weeks or 1-2 months in the freezer.  Make sure that they are well sealed, so they don’t inherit fridge odors.

• To learn more about maple syrup by clicking (here).
• What is raw cacao powder?
• What is Himalayan pink salt, and does it matter?  Click (here) to read more about it.
• Is coconut butter the same as coconut oil?  Click (here) to find out.
• Are oats gluten-free?  Yes, read more about that (here).
• Are oats raw?  Yes, they can be found.  Click (here) to learn more.
• Do I need to soak and dehydrate oats?  Not required but recommended.  Click (here) to see why.
• Why I use lecithin… click (here) to read about it.

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Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, No Dehydration Required, Nut Free Option, Raw Cacao, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, Vegan