Turmeric is magical. I throw it in everything I cook for the anti-inflammatory benefits, and we always add it to smoothies and teas. I even make a paste of turmeric and coconut milk for a face mask from time to time. Of course, I love golden milk, too! It’s so creamy and comforting, and it’s the perfect treat for chilly winter nights. If you aren’t familiar with golden milk, it’s an easy, delicious, and soothing drink made with turmeric and coconut milk. Basically, just whisk some turmeric and other spices like cinnamon and cloves into coconut milk, cooking over low heat. If you want, add a little coconut oil and or black pepper to really boost the turmeric benefits. Sweeten if desired. It’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and delicious. Lately, I’ve been sipping on it in the evenings to warm up and wind down.
Over the holidays, I played around with various vegan fudge recipes so I wouldn’t miss out when everyone was devouring chocolaty treats. I recently swapped out the cocoa powder for turmeric and other spices to make a creamy golden milk candy. When the winter clouds blanket the sky, a little piece of golden milk fudge is like a spicy, creamy ray of sunshine. It’s super easy too!
With a little coconut oil, coconut cream, turmeric, and powdered sugar, you can make golden milk fudge, too! I add other warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. Really, whatever flavors you like in golden milk are perfect for this recipe. The spice blend is totally up to you. During the Christmas season, I add more cloves. I wanted this batch a little spicy and warming, so I threw in a dash more ginger.
I’ve recently started using whole spices instead of the little plastic pots of ground spices. They taste fresher and more pungent, and I can cut back on plastic, too. I also buy spices in bulk, reusing bags or I buy spices in glass bottles. I just think all those little plastic pots are extra wasteful since they are so tiny. Plus, their bulky caps aren’t recyclable.
This recipe can work with only powdered sugar, but I’ve started making fudge with half tapioca starch to cut back on sugar. Quick fudge recipes are always too sweet for me, so I started experimenting with some ways to cut sugar last month. I love tapioca starch because it has a melty, gooey quality perfect for fudge. I think cornstarch works well, too, but it’s not quite as smooth as tapioca starch.
The trick is to cook the fudge in a double boiler until everything has just melted and blended together. It will suddenly go from crumbly to smooth and a little glossy. This is the perfect moment to dump it into a greased pan and wait for it to firm up! I love powdered sugar fudge recipes because they don’t require the precise temperature control and stirring of traditional fudge. Since I don’t make candy that often, I don’t have a candy thermometer. When using a powdered sugar recipe, there’s no need to cook to a precise temp. Once everything is mixed, it’s done cooking! This recipe is so easy, Eloise helps me make it sometimes!
Jammer loves adding black pepper to his golden milk to really reap the benefits, so I take a cue from him and garnish the fudge with pepper. I love how cheery golden milk fudge looks, and it’s just the perfect little bit of sweetness.
Here’s how I make Golden Milk Fudge:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c coconut oil or vegan margarine like Earth Balance
- 1/4 c canned coconut cream (Canned coconut milk might work, but don’t use coconut milk in a milk carton. It’s not thick enough. I really love the richness of coconut cream, though…)
- turmeric to taste
- other spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and vanilla to taste (optional)
- 1.5+ c. powdered sugar
- 1.5+ c. tapioca starch (if omitting tapioca starch, add this much more powdered sugar instead)
- black pepper for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Grease a small baking dish with coconut oil or margarine.
- Sift the tapioca starch and sugar. This is optional, but it helps make the texture really smooth.
- Place a heavy bottomed pot in a pan of water on medium heat.
- Add the coconut oil, coconut cream, and spices.
- Add the powdered sugar and tapioca starch. If you used margarine, you’ll need a little more of the dry ingredients. If you used coconut oil, it will firm up quickly, so you can use less. Likewise, if you added a lot of turmeric and other spices, you won’t need as much starch and sugar. During warmer months, you’ll need a little more sugar and tapioca, and in the cold months, you’ll need less. If it sounds confusing, don’t worry! You really can’t mess it up. Even if your fudge ends up a little soft or a little crumbly, it will still be delicious.
- Stir constantly with a rubber spatula. The mixture will get crumbly, and then suddenly, it will be smooth and melted.
- As soon as everything is combined, pour into your prepared baking dish.
- Especially if I cooked the fudge a little bit longer and it’s kind of shiny, I stir the mixture in the pan as it cools a bit to make sure it reaches the right consistency. It will suddenly be harder to stir and lose the sheen. Then, smooth it down.
- If you want, crack some pepper on top.
- Put the fudge in the fridge to firm up. If you used Earth Balance, it will take a little longer than if you used coconut oil.
- Slice and serve! Yum!
My regular fudge recipe is really similar, except I use about 1/4 c of cocoa powder instead of all the other spices. I think chocolate fudge tastes best with Earth Balance instead of coconut oil, too. It’s hard to find vegan chocolates and other creamy treats that aren’t super expensive. Plus, I’ve tried to avoid buying prepackaged candy because of the extra plastic waste. While I don’t eat sweets often, it’s nice to know I have something on hand when I want a little treat. Golden milk fudge lasts for a couple of weeks in the fridge, so it’s like a perfect tasty ray of sunshine waiting to brighten your day!