When it comes to sweets, the raw vegan business leaves me cold. You can keep your bliss balls and your carob cups and pass the cheesecake made with actual cheese please. But then something weird happened. 

No, not quite a conversion but I did try making tahini date fridge fudge from Good and Simple by Hemsley and Hemsley and actually liked it.  It was stupidly easy and, turns out, kind of addictive. Although the quantities here look specific, H & H say they usually make it by eye. It’s sweet but without refined sugar, nutty and creamy – quite like halva, and really not very like fudge. It doesn’t make much so I usually double the recipe because it keeps well.

TAHINI DATE FRIDGE FUDGE

85g pitted dates (chewy dried ones rather than the big juicy Medjool type)
110g tahini
2 tablespoons coconut oil
sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (I prefer them roasted), or desiccated coconut or sunflower seeds to decorate. (optional)

Line a small baking tin or any shallow container that’s about 11cm x 17cm with baking parchment.

Slice one of the dates finely and set aside to decorate the top later. Place the rest of the dates in a food processor with the tahini, coconut oil and 1/8 tsp salt flakes and blend to a  smooth, thick paste. 

Pour the mixture into the container and decorate with the sliced dates and or other toppings.

Freeze or chill in the fridge until firm – about 15 minutes in the freezer or 30 in the fridge. 

Yep, that’s it. Easy, huh?

You can substitute dried apricots for the dates which gives a less sweet result. Or prunes work too, apparently. Oh and you have to keep it in the fridge or freezer because at room temperature it dissolves into a puddle. I like eating it from frozen and feel pretty virtuous about it. Let me know if you try it or if any other raw vegan sweets are worth making.