Homemade Chocolate Sauce and Cream with Carob
Carob powder, with its cocoa-like color and caramelly flavor, can be used for homemade "chocolate-like" sauces and creams. Thanks to its natural sweetness, the need for added sugar is reduced in these recipes, resulting in a distinctive flavor that is different from cocoa.
In this article, we share four basic recipes: runny carob sauce on ice cream and pancakes, hazelnut spreadable carob cream, carob pastry cream for cakes, and whipped carob cream. We also cover tips for adjusting the consistency, preventing clumps, and storing it correctly.
Why is carob suitable for "chocolate" sauce?
Carob powder (flour) is obtained by drying and grinding the pitted carob fruit. It has been used as a cocoa alternative for a long time because its color is very close to cocoa. However, in order to be successful in a sauce or cream, it is necessary to know the difference between the two powders.
According to USDA FoodData Central data, 100 grams of carob flour contains 0.65 g of fat, 49.1 g of total sugar, and 39.8 g of dietary fiber (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173755). These three values describe the behavior of carob in sauces and creams:
- Low Fat: Chocolate and cocoa give a shiny and smooth texture thanks to cocoa butter. Since carob powder does not contain this fat, it is necessary to add a fat source such as butter, cream or nut butter to sauces and creams. In the BAKERpedia source, it is recommended to reduce sugar and increase fat when carob is used instead of cocoa (BAKERpedia, Carob Powder).
- Natural sugar: Carob is sweet; therefore, it is often possible to reduce sugar by half in recipes.
- High fiber: Some of the fiber is insoluble in water. For this reason, carob sauces may be slightly grainy compared to cocoa sauces. Sifting the powder thoroughly, making a paste with liquid and, if necessary, straining the sauce reduces this situation.
Another advantage is the issue of caffeine: carob powder, unlike cocoa, does not add caffeine to the product (BAKERpedia, Carob Powder).
A Note from Research: Spreadable Carob Cream
In a master's thesis prepared at Atatürk University, 50%, 66.8% and 100% carob powder were used instead of sugar and cocoa powder in spreadable chocolate; butter, olive oil and their mixtures were tried instead of palm oil. In terms of textural properties, it was concluded that the formula containing 50% carob powder and 100% butter could be used in the production of spreadable chocolate; in the sensory test, the closest product to the control sample was the 50% carob sample prepared with palm oil (Shiehzadeh, 2019).
This study offers two practical tips for the home kitchen: First, carob powder can replace a significant portion of sugar and cocoa in spreadable creams. Second, the type of oil used significantly changes the spreadability of the cream; in the same thesis, the highest and lowest spreadability strength were measured in different oil combinations.
Recipe 1: Fluid Carob Sauce
A sauce prepared in a few minutes, ideal for pouring over ice cream, pancakes, pancakes, waffles and fruit.
Ingredients (approx. 250 ml)
- 40 g carob powder (about 5 tablespoons)
- 150 ml water or milk
- 2 tablespoons carob molasses or 30 g sugar
- 25 g butter
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Preparation
- Sift the carob powder and put it in a small saucepan.
- Add about 3 tablespoons of the liquid and mix until you get a smooth paste.
- Whisk, gradually adding the remaining liquid and molasses (or sugar).
- Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, and cook for 2–3 minutes. The sauce will thicken and brighten.
- Remove from heat; add butter, vanilla and salt and mix until butter melts.
- Strain through a fine strainer for a smoother sauce.
The sauce thickens as it cools. After taking it out of the refrigerator, you can restore its fluidity by warming it briefly or adding a spoonful of hot water. In a closed jar, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 5–7 days.
Vegan option
Use unsweetened vegetable milk instead of milk, 2 tablespoons of coconut oil instead of butter.
Recipe 2: Hazelnut Spreadable Carob Cream
Ingredients (approx. 1 jar, 300 g)
- 200 g raw hazelnut kernels
- 40 g carob powder
- 3 tablespoons carob molasses
- 2–3 tablespoons of sunflower oil or hazelnut oil
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
- Optional: 2 tablespoons powdered milk (for a creamier taste)
Preparation
- Roast the hazelnuts in the oven at 170 ° C for 10-12 minutes. While hot, separate most of the membranes by rubbing them in a cloth.
- Put the nuts in a powerful food processor and run for 8–12 minutes. It first becomes floury, then releases its oil and turns into a fluid paste. Take a break so that the engine does not heat up.
- Add carob powder, molasses, vanilla and salt and run for another 1-2 minutes.
- If the consistency is thick, add a spoonful of oil to bring it to the spreadability you want.
- Transfer to a clean, dry jar.
Cream is softer at room temperature and firmer in the refrigerator. Since it contains molasses, we recommend storing it in the refrigerator and consuming it within 2–3 weeks. When molasses is used, the cream may harden slightly; in this case, it is sufficient to add a spoonful of oil and mix.
Recipe 3: Carob Pastry Cream
A thick cream that can be used for cake between, eclairs, tart or profiterole filling.
Ingredients (approx. 550 g)
- 500 ml milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 60 g sugar
- 35 g cornstarch
- 25 g carob powder
- 20 g butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
- Put 400 ml of the milk in a saucepan and warm it up.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 100 ml of milk, egg yolks, sugar, starch and sifted carob powder until smooth.
- Add some of the warm milk to the egg mixture and whisk (warming), then transfer the whole mixture to the pot.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly. After the mixture thickens and the first bubbles appear, cook for 1 more minute.
- Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla and whisk.
- Take the cream in a bowl, cover it by touching the surface with cling film (it prevents cream from binding) and cool completely.
- Whisk briefly with a mixer to smooth before use.
Recipe 4: Whipped Carob Cream
Ingredients
- 200 ml cold liquid cream (at least 30% fat)
- 15 g carob powder (about 2 tablespoons)
- 25 g caster sugar
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
Preparation
- Sift the carob powder and powdered sugar together.
- Put the cold cream in a cold bowl and start beating with a mixer at medium speed.
- When the cream thickens slightly, add the sifted mixture and vanilla.
- Continue beating until soft peaks form. Over-whipped cream begins to turn into butter; stop as soon as peaks form.
Carob powder can give cream color and aroma, as well as a light body; nevertheless, the cream should be used soon after whipping and stored in the refrigerator. Carob gum (thickener from the kernel), another product derived from carob, is known to increase viscosity and reduce serum separation in dairy products; for example, these effects have been observed when used in goat's milk kefir at rates of 0.05–0.20% (Sarıca et al., 2021). You don't have to use gum in the home kitchen, but this information shows the versatility of the carob plant in consistency.
Tips for Consistency and Flavor
- Sift through: Carob powder clumps when it absorbs moisture. Sift the powder before using it in each recipe.
- Putty method: Pasting the powder with a small amount of liquid first greatly prevents clumping in sauces and creams.
- A pinch of salt: It balances the sweetness of carob and highlights the caramel notes.
- Vanilla and cinnamon: They are the spices that are most compatible with the aroma of carob.
- Half cocoa option: If you don't want to completely give up the cocoa taste, replace some of the carob powder with cocoa. In a domestic study, it was reported that up to 40% cocoa can be replaced with carob flour in cocoa cake (Gerçekaslan & Boz, 2018). A similar approach can be applied to sauces and creams.
- Leave the sugar for last: Do not add sugar without tasting it; the sweetness of carob is often enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does carob sauce taste like real chocolate?
It gives a chocolate-like color and a sweet-caramel taste; however, it differs from the bitter, intense aroma of cocoa and chocolate. It is more accurate to consider it as a unique flavor.
Why did my gravy get grainy?
Some of the fiber in carob powder is insoluble. Sift the powder, use the paste method, and strain the sauce if necessary.
Why does hazelnut carob cream separate?
Since homemade creamers do not have emulsifiers, hazelnut oil can rise to the surface over time. Simply stir before use.
Do these creamers contain caffeine?
Versions made with carob powder only do not contain caffeine. If cocoa or chocolate is added, it will contain caffeine.
Homemade Delights with Carob Türkiye
Using a finely ground, fresh carob powder for a smooth sauce and cream directly affects the result. At Carob Türkiye, we supply carob fruit, crumbs, flour/powder, kernels, and extracts. Carob Flour / Powder You can review our product page; For your wholesale and export requests Contact Now You can reach us on our page. If you are curious about the use of carob extract in food What is Carob Extract? You can read our article.
Domestic resources
Shiehzadeh, R., "The effect of carob powder, butter and olive oil use on physical, chemical and rheological properties in chocolate spread", Master's Thesis (Thesis No: 533903), Atatürk University Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, 2019. Tezara.
org/ theses/ 533903 Gerçekaslan, K. E., Boz, H., "The effect of carob flour addition on the physical, sensory and textural properties of cocoa cake", Journal of Iğdır University Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, 8(1), 95–101, 2018. doi.
org/ 10. 21597/ jist. 407844 Sarıca, E., Filizkıran, G., Canbek, D., Ertürk, B., Coşkun, M., Mustuloğlu, Ş., "The Effect of Carob Gum on the Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Kefir Produced from Goat Milk", Akademik Gıda, 19(1), 28–37, 2021. dergipark.
org. en/ en/ pub/ academic- food/ article/ 927653 Foreign sources
U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (SR Legacy), "Carob flour", FDC ID 173755. Data display: getfoodfacts.
com/ food/ carob- flour- 173755 BAKERpedia, "Carob Powder" (Baking Ingredients). bakerpedia.
Scientific Resourcescom/ ?p=3660
