Special brownies...made with carob
I don't know anyone who doesn't love brownies. Some like them thick and fudgy. Some people prefer them softer and more cake-like, but everyone loves those great chocolate treats/
Some people, however, don't or can't each chocolate.
There isn't any reason to miss out on brownies if you are one of those people, however. Carob is a perfect substitute for those who are chocolate restricted.
Carob was eaten in Ancient Egypt. It was also a common sweetener and was used in the hieroglyph for "sweet" (nedjem). Dried carob fruit is traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat. Carob juice drinks are traditionally drunk during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Also it is believed to be an aphrodisiac.
On the islands of Malta and Gozo a syrup is made out of carob pods. This is a traditional medicine for coughs and sore throat. A traditional sweet, eaten during Lent and Good Friday, is also made from carob pods in Malta. However, carob pods were mainly used as animal fodder in the Maltese Islands, apart from times of famine or war when they formed part of the diet of many Maltese.
Today, it is used most commonly to replace chocolate in many baked goods. Alone, it's kind of dry and chalky, but when it's combined with other ingredients it's almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Give these a try....I won't say they taste like real chocolate brownies, but they're pretty darned good.
Carob Brownies
3/4 cup of brown rice syrup2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of carob powder
2/3 cups of water
1/3 cup of oil
1-1/2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon of salt
1/8 tespoon of ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla
- Combine all ingredients except flour.
- Stir until smooth, add flour and mix well.
- Pour into 8x8 inch oiled pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Vegan..
