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| Brownies with carob flour in addition to chocolate are gluten-free. |
As a substitute of brownies, lets name them “morenitos,” in honor of their Spanish substances? I made them with a new-to-me product, gluten-free carob flour. The carob, often known as locust bean or St. John’s bread—algarrobo in Spanish—is the seed-bearing pod or bean of a tree native to Mediterranean lands. Carob is used as an alternative to chocolate, which it considerably resembles in taste, and as a thickening agent (carob gum) in processed meals. Powdered carob makes an excellent substitute for flour in gluten-free desserts and cookies.
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| Carob pods dangle from branches. |
The edible pod has a leathery husk enclosing a candy pulp that surrounds the seeds. The pulp is dried and floor to powder. The seeds include a substance helpful for gelling meals. Traditionally, carobs had been generally known as famine meals, consumed by people solely when different meals was scarce. They proceed to be valued as animal fodder.
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| Break up pod reveals pulp. |
I first tasted carobs as a toddler at Sunday college at my synagogue (Illinois) when it was distributed on Tu Bishvat, Jewish arbor day, together with different fruits from Israel resembling figs and dates. Once I got here to Spain I found the tree with its dangling pods rising on tough hillsides and on small farmsteads. The pods had been harvested within the fall, delivered to city on burros, and heaped at a group level the place they gave off a powerful, not solely nice odor earlier than being trucked away for use as animal feed. Extra just lately, I went out to dump compost in a bin on the fringe of my property and found a few Moroccan youths up within the algarrobo tree knocking off the pods and bagging them. Nonetheless beneficial sufficient to “steal.”
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| Powdered carob. |
Though this recipe has hardly any of the substances of conventional brownies—carob flour replaces wheat flour; cacao is decreased; sugar eradicated (the sweetness of carob plus dates makes sugar pointless), and olive oil takes the place of butter—the result’s surprisingly related.
I purchased the carob powder at a health-foods stall in my native market. It’s natural and untoasted. Supposedly uncooked carob powder is extra bitter than the toasted, however I didn’t discover it bitter in any respect. I’ve not examined the recipe with toasted carob powder. The non-gluten flour I used was a mix of rice, potato, and chickpea flours. These brownies are extra cakey than fudgy. As with all brownies, they’re exceptionally scrumptious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, dollop of whipped cream, or, my selection, unsweetened Greek yogurt.
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| Deep chocolaty taste is even higher with a dollop of yogurt. |
Gluten-Free Carob Brownies
Morenitos sin Gluten de Algarrobo
Makes 16 (2-inch) brownies
2/3 cup additional virgin olive oil
¾ cup pitted and chopped dates
3 massive or 4 medium eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup carob flour
¼ cup gluten-free flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons water
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Put together an 8X8-inch cake pan oiled and lined with parchment.
Mix the oil and dates in a blender and mix till easy. Beat within the eggs and vanilla.
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| Batter is chocolaty. |
Sift collectively the carob flour, gluten-free flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour the oil-egg combination right into a mixing bowl. Stir within the dry substances till completely combined, including sufficient water to lighten the batter. Fold within the walnuts.
Unfold the batter within the baking pan. Bake till a skewer comes out clear, 25 to half-hour. Cool the brownies fully earlier than chopping into squares.
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| Carob pods (algarrobos). |
Extra gluten-free baked items:
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