CAROB COOKBOOK
For Those Who Love Chocolate, But Can't Eat It

      “Hamilton raises and trains horses with her husband in the foothills between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This book, she told me, started with a few carob candy bars she tasted. ‘It seemed to me they could have tasted better. I started using carob powder because of the nutrition and low calorie aspect. These recipes were all developed in my kitchen over fifteen years. Once I was making my husband a birthday cake, and it hit me like a light bulb. I felt there was a flavor there that could be expanded on. I got more and more excited...I try to use a bit less sugar. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of vanilla instead of half a teaspoon. It really brings out the flavor. I found that carob did something special, something that nothing else could do. It’s good with spices too.’
            “She recommends using carob powder in roasted form. ‘I found that all brands are the same,’ she says. Another trick she discovered: ‘Sometimes you can get a little different flavor by adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder. It tastes chocolatey.’ Hamilton makes her own Carob Baking Squares and has developed several versions, each with its own qualities. ‘I first started with the Carob Butter Squares, then I experimented with Carob-Oil-Butter Squares.’ Which tastes better? ‘It’s hard to say, depends on the recipe.’ She says her Mocha Fudge Cake ‘has a nice texture and tastes like cakes Mom used to make. Really!’ The Double Carob Cheesecake has carob in the crust and in the filling too. Other favorite recipes are the Carob Cream Pie and Carob Gingercake.”
     
      —World of Cookbooks