I knew I wanted carob in my Teeccino-inspired cupcakes. However, I hadn't decided on which form to use. I knew of carob powder and carob chips, but the grocery I was at only had carob molasses. I figured that would have to do.
Carob molasses smells a bit like regular molasses combined with carob (which essentially tastes/smells like a mild chocolate).
Unripe and ripe carob pods.Photo from Wikipedia commons.
There is very limited information about carob molasses online. The best source that I found was Slow Food Beirut.
Dibs el kharrub, or carob molasses, is a thick syrup made by soaking milled carob pods in water and reducing the extracted liquid. It is produced in large quantities in the area of Iqleem el kharrub (the district of carob), located in the foothills of the Shuf mountain district south of Beirut.I love the idea of mixing a sweet syrup with tahini as a dessert and I will definitely have to give that a try sometime with my homemade tahini!
In Lebanon, carob molasses was traditionally used as an alternative to sugar. Mixed and served with tahina or sesame paste, for example, it is still eaten as a dessert called dibs bi tahina.
Apparently, carob molasses is also delicious as a pancake syrup. I love this blurb I found about it on the blog Yum-Oh!:
Ever since discovering Carob Molasses, it has been referred to by our group of friends as the original Secret Ingredient, because we started using it in and on absolutely everything - from pancakes to salad dressing – and people's first reaction is always: "Yum-oh! – what’s that?!"If you have a Middle Eastern grocery near you, you may be able to find carob molasses stocked. If not, you may need to order it online. Sadly, it looks like you can only buy it online in a three-pack - so you may need to find some friends to share it with.
About the Post Title
At dinner last night, I was reminded of the fact that a good friend of mine did not receive a job offer at a company (which shall remain nameless) because he used h-e-double-hockey-sticks during the interview. He just used the "offensive" term once, but apparently that was enough to do him in. In his honor, I stuck with the far less risque term, heck.
I have never heard of carob molasses before, but I'm totally intrigued now. I want to get some to play around with; it sounds totally fascinating (and yummy)!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you could use carob powder to make the molasses at home--I'll have to try it!
ReplyDeleteHere is a recipe for a traditional egyptian drink using carob pods and water; you could probably achieve the same effect by stirring the molasses into water.
http://egyptian-cuisine-recipes.com/recipes/beverages/carob-locust-bean-drink-kharroob.html
YUM!
Elyse - Yeah - it was totally new to me!
ReplyDeleteLydia - Interesting. Let me know how that goes! I'm going to have to try out that drink. Thanks for the link!
Thank you for sharing the information. I like your blog.
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by what you listed as ingredients in making carob molasses. Is high fructose corn syrop used today in making this molass? Many years ago, as a Ministry of Planning official, I visited a small factory of carob molass near the town of Batroun, Lebanon. I was surprised to notice two large steel barrels of liquid sweetener, which I found out to be high fructose corn syrop. As you know, HFCS is a highly carcinogenic product, so I'll be extremely cautious about commercially found carob molasses unless the ingredients are listed on the jar and certified per US standards. http://mmekkawi.com
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ReplyDeleteMohamed Mekkawi said...
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by what you listed as ingredients in making carob molasses. Is high fructose corn syrop used today in making this molass? Many years ago, as a Ministry of Planning official, I visited a small factory of carob molass near the town of Batroun, Lebanon. I was surprised to notice two large steel barrels of liquid sweetener, which I found out to be high fructose corn syrop. As you know, HFCS is a highly carcinogenic product, so I'll be very mindful to avoid commercially found carob molasses unless the ingredients are listed on the jar and certified independently of the producer. http://mmekkawi.com
August 9, 2010 8:10 AM
I grew up in a Lebanese Household. remember mum mixing somethign that looked like syrup with tahini and i loved it. But we didn't get it often - i am guessing it might have been out of our budget. Eventually i went to work in Lebanon and saw a carob tree and tasted home made carob molasses. I love this stuff. They make cakes with it in Lebanon...mmmm
ReplyDeletemy Friends here have had varying reactions to the molasses when i show it to them. They do not like the smell of it. I think people need to tast it in something to appreciate it. I personally eat it as I always have, mixed with tahini and spread on pita bread. Here in montreal I can find it in teh lebanes grocey stores. I get a jar for $5 which i consider quite a good price.
I also love debs 5arroob (carob molasses), but since I read about high fructose syrop's ill effects on one's health, I've been asking around for a supplier of debs 5arroob that is certified not to contain HFCS. If you now of any such source, pls share. Btw, I havn't been able to reproduce Leb carbob molasses at home using carob powder.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it's currently out of stock you can order organic carob syrup here: http://store.renegadehealth.com/Kev-s-Super-Nutritious-Organic-Carob-Syrup-8oz-p488.html. I would think it would be the same as the molasses. It is pricier though.
ReplyDeleteHi! It's Kyle from Yum-oh here!! I've recently discovered a new use for it, in a deeeeelicious chocolatey cake icing for a sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free mud cake. (soon to be blogged, when i get a decent photo of the cake, it usually gets eaten before i get a chance to get near it with a camera!!!) Sooooo yummy!!!. The icing is based on a recipe from Baby Cakes NYC (google them and their gorgeous vegan cupcake book). Whiz everything in a blender for a few minutes until smooth. Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours, where it will firm up enough to apply with a palate knife.
ReplyDelete1/3 cup carob molasses
3/4 cup soy milk
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon coconut milk powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
wow, this blog takes me back to my childhood in Lebanon where I used to mix carob molases and tahini and spread it on lebanese bread (pita)
ReplyDeletealso carob based drink isn't bad