Chocolate Almond Truffle Fudge

From Laura Mack
March 31, 2016

A rich, dark, and creamy fudge studded with toasted almonds — so indulgent, yet easy to make. You won’t believe it’s low carb and gluten-free! This is another one of my essential dessert recipes. It’s super simple to make, keeps for at least a month in the refrigerator, and a small square will satisfy your chocolate cravings. At less than 3 carbs and 135 calories, it’s the perfect choice for a treat that won’t blow your carb budget.

This fudge is a different texture than traditional fudge. In fact, it is essentially the chocolate ganache filling used to make chocolate truffles, so it is very creamy and melts in your mouth. It’s also easier to make than traditional fudge, which can be a bit temperamental. I love the crunch from the chunks of toasted almonds, but you could leave them out if you prefer.

Not surprisingly, chocolate is probably the most important ingredient. I use 85% dark chocolate because that’s what I usually have on hand. 85% refers to the cacao percentage, the ingredient content from the cacao plant, both the fat (cocoa butter) and the solids. The remaining 15% is mostly made up of sugar. A 1-ounce serving has about 4 net carbs (net of fiber), so it’s quite a modest amount of sugar. However, if you’d prefer an option with no added sugar, you could certainly substitute unsweetened chocolate and increase the sweeteners slightly to compensate.

Two of our favorite brands of 85% dark chocolate include Green & Black, which is organic and also happens to be the one that Deb prefers. I love Green & Black, but I’m also a fan of Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Lovers. While it’s not organic, it goes for about half the price of similar quality dark chocolates. Chocolate is like coffee in that there are differences in flavor profiles from brand to brand, so it comes down to personal preference.

As low carb treats go, this fudge is quite a healthy option — in appropriate portions, of course! With 80% of the calories coming from healthy fats (heavy cream, coconut oil, and cocoa butter), it is a bonafide keto “fat bomb.” Plus, dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health.

Having treats on hand like this chocolate almond truffle fudge has been an important part of my weight loss and maintenance journey. They help me avoid feelings of deprivation, as well as the metabolic consequences of high carb sugar bombs. And when I’m eating away from home and am offered a dessert, it’s easy for me to decline because I know I have the option of my own bit of decadence to be enjoyed later, minus the negative consequences.

Chocolate Almond Truffle Fudge

Author: Laura Mack
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  10 mins
Total time:  25 mins
Serves: 36

Print Recipe

Rich, dark, and creamy chocolate fudge studded with toasted almonds -- so indulgent, yet easy to make. You won't believe it's low carb and gluten-free!

Ingredients

14 fluid ounces / 1¾ cup heavy whipping cream

1 ounce / 2 tablespoons xylitol or equivalent sweetener

1 pinch sea salt

14 ounces dark chocolate, 85%, chopped into roughly ½" pieces

1 teaspoon liquid stevia, more or less to taste

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon almond extract

4 ounces chopped almonds, toasted

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, optional, for garnish

Instructions

1. Line bottom and sides of a 8" x 8" square pan (glass or metal) with foil. Set aside.
2. Place cream, xylitol, and salt in a large saucepan. Place the pan over low heat and bring to just a simmer (bubbles around the edges). Keep an eye on it; if it comes to a boil, it can quickly foam over the sides of the saucepan.
3. Remove pan from heat, stir in chocolate pieces, and let sit for 5 minutes undisturbed.
4. Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth. Add liquid stevia, vanilla extract, and almond extract and whisk to blend. Fold in almonds with a spatula and transfer to prepared pan. Smooth top and place in refrigerator until set, at least two hours.
5. Remove from pan using foil as a sling. Transfer to cutting board and cut into 36 pieces. Remove from foil and transfer to serving dish or storage container. If desired, sift cocoa powder lightly over the tops of fudge pieces for garnish. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Notes

Nutritional info* per serving: 135 cal, 12 g total fat (80%), 4.5 g total carbs, 1.8 g fiber, 2.7 g net carbs, and 2 g protein. Please note that I do not count the sugar alcohols from xylitol in the total carbs or net carbs.

*I use Living Cookbook 2015, along with package information and data from www.nutritiondata.self.com, to calculate the nutritional information for my recipes. Thus, I can make no guarantees as to the accuracy.