What if I told you my absolute favorite homemade fudge of all time contains no dairy whatsoever? What if I told you it even uses everyday pantry ingredients, and takes just minutes to prepare? Now what if I said the version I make is even soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan? Would you believe me? Well, it really is true.

Thanks to creative bakers like Hannah Kaminsky, splurging at the holidays is fast becoming a reality for almost every special diet. From Crustless Sweet Potato Pie to Peppermint Crush Ice Cream, Hannah has a sweet recipe for all occasions in her repertoire.

And of course there is her classic dessert cookbook, My Sweet Vegan; full-color, gorgeous and enticing. From reading other blogger reviews, I can see that MSV recipes like the Golden Glazed Donuts and Triple-Threat Chocolate Cheesecake are foolproof. But I am all about the "gifts from the kitchen." Bite-sized, sugar-packed treats are the only way to go during the holiday season (or any time of year) in my opinion, and My Sweet Vegan delivers with recipes for Cherry Chocolate Truffles, Flaming Hot Peanut Brittle, Matzah Toffee, Coffee Break Shortbread, and my favorite, the following recipe for Five-Minute Coconut Fudge. Not a fan of coconut? Have no fear; you can simply omit the coconut topping (the coconut milk leaves no flavor trace), and if you wish, trial the ginger, pecan-pumpkin spice, or peppermint fudge variations ...

Five-Minute Coconut Fudge

Recipe from My Sweet Vegan by Hannah Kaminsky

"Rich, thick, and creamy, this fudge is the real stuff. Even the smallest squares will satisfy the most dedicated chocoholics. Plus, it takes mere minutes to whip up, for an instantly gratifying, and heavenly, chocolate treat."

• 1 Cup Dairy-Free, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (such as Enjoy Life brand)
• 3-1/2 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Dairy-Free Margarine (see below for soy-free option)
• 1/2 Cup Regular Coconut Milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Flaked Coconut, Toasted

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, sugar, and cocoa. Separately, place the margarine and coconut milk in a small saucepan, and stir together over medium heat. Cook the mixture until the margarine has melted, and bubbles just begin to break at the surface. Remove it from the stove, and immediately pour over the chocolate mixture. Let everything sit for a couple of minutes, and then stir vigorously to melt the chocolate and incorporate the dry ingredients. Continue stirring until a completely smooth mixture forms. Mix in the vanilla, and quickly pour everything into your prepared pan. Smooth out the top and sprinkle the flaked coconut evenly over the entire exposed surface. Press the coconut gently into the fudge with the palm of your hand. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes 32 Small Squares

Variations:

Soy-Free Fudge: Use Earth Balance Soy-Free Margarine or substitute 2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil for the margarine. Many brands of chocolate chips contain soy lecithin. If this is a problem for you, choose a "safe" brand like Enjoy Life Foods.

Ginger Fudge: Omit the flaked coconut, and stir 3/4 cup of minced / finely diced crystalized ginger into the fudge just after the vanilla. The ginger chunks infuse the surrounding fudge with a pleasantly sweet ginger flavor.

Pecan-Pumpkin Spice Fudge: From Nicole at Another One Bites the Crust, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (depending on how spicy you like it!) with the vanilla extract. Omit the flaked coconut topping, and instead press glazed pecans (easy recipe for the pecans) into the top of the fudge before placing it in the fridge. 

Peppermint Fudge: Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract with the vanilla extract and stir in 4 smashed candy canes. Omit the flaked coconut and top the fudge with the crumbs of 5 additional crushed candy canes instead.

This is a third pary review by Alisa Fleming (author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook). My Sweet Vegan is available to purchase on Amazon.