Sunday, July 8, 2012

Homemade carob crunch bites with goji berries

Some days, at least in my world, things just feel wrong. There may not be anything tangibly wrong, or at least nothing that you can put into words. Nonetheless, things may seem off kilter, frustrating, Not Right, uncomfortable, hard, wrong.

Last week finished off that way for me. There are some tangible contributors this time around, from both the anxiety and sadness camps (always a fun combination), but the 'real' stressors don't go all the way to explaining things. Friday brought a migraine. I couldn't settle into a groove with things. I wanted to stay in bed and bury my head in the covers and a book, except even that didn't really appeal - which is when I know things really are not right.


Fortunately, there are things that help when life is like that. Carob bars have been dancing around my head for a while now, and yesterday seemed like as good a time as any to indulge in making them.

These bars drew inspiration from the Lewis sugar free carob blocks that I greatly enjoy, as well as Chocolate Covered Katie's recent dark chocolate crunch bar, this recipe for carob bark, and this recipe for homemade chocolate or carob bars. They involved a hefty dose of trial and error. They are a bit of a work in progress. They calmed me down and they lifted my spirits.

I don't like mess, but this sort of mess is surprisingly soothing

I have called the final product 'carob bites' rather than 'bars', because they are not neat enough to be called the latter. They're also not neat enough to be photographed prettily (or at least, not with my photography skills). In fact, they're a bit messy all up, but in some ways that seems appropriate for my mood, and they taste so good that I'm prepared to forgive them anyway.


Delicious mess

Homemade carob crunch bites with goji berries
Makes 10 - 16 pieces
Vegan


Ingredients
3/4 cup carob powder
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch sea salt
1/4 cup dried goji berries (or dried fruit of choice, or nuts)
1/2 cup puffed millet (or puffed rice)

Method
Melt the coconut oil, using a double-boiler system or on low power in the microwave, stirring regularly. Add the carob powder and mix through.

Add the vanilla, sea salt, goji berries and puffed millet and mix well to combine.

Line a baking tray or square baking dish with baking paper. Spread the mixture on to the baking paper.

Set in the freezer for 20 minutes and then break into pieces (or you could be neat and cut them). Store in the fridge.


These are more carob-y than most commercial carob products, because they omit the milk solids (or soy solids in dairy free blocks) and thus have a much higher carob percentage. Perhaps as a result, or for other reasons, they are also a bit crumblier. I was very happy with the taste, but the texture may need a bit of tweaking and I think the mixture needs more liquid to the dry carob. I may try thinning things out with water or almond milk in future, or just reducing the carob.

Despite the texture being a bit on the crumbly side, these were highly enjoyable to eat. The goji berries paired well with the carob tones, and the puffed millet gave crunch as well as lightening up what is an otherwise dense product


All in all, a highly satisfying experience, both in the making and in the final result.

Whilst this is definitely a recipe for carob lovers only, substituting cocoa powder for carob powder would yield a dark chocolate bar that I imagine would be very, very good (although you would probably want to add some sweetener, as carob powder is naturally sweeter than cocoa).

Do you like carob? And have you made your own carob / chocolate bars? I am thinking of pursuing this hobby over the remainder of the year!

30 comments:

  1. You make everything look so awesome here is another example just lovely!

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  2. Sorry to hear you have been having low days - when you don't even want to read in bed it is bad! Hope the rest of your weekend has been better.

    I am not a carob fan but I loved the ideas of Katie's chocolate crunch bars and am glad the carob and goji version cheered you up. If you are after recreating traditional chocolate bars, http://forkandbeans.wordpress.com/ might be a good vegan blog to check out - she seems to have great ideas

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    1. Thank you Johanna - the weekend did improve and I'm pleased to say I'm back to finding reading very appealing indeed (it is a worrying sign when I don't)! And thank you hugely for that link, I will have great fun looking at her ideas.

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  3. What I always remind myself during such days of inexplicable, throat-tightening sadness is that just as they come out of nowhere, they'll leave again. It sucks when they come, but my perception is that all you have to do is remember that "this too will pass", and just keep going.

    Hugs, gumdrop.

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    1. "This too will pass" is one of the things I am most grateful for grasping in my adult years. Thank you, for reminding me, and for grasping so exactly the nature of those days (although I wish you didn't, so that is kind of a back-handed thank you) xx

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  4. I really don't like it when things feel "off" and you're right, sometimes just staying in bed or diving into a good book doesn't help! I am sorry you are feeling off. Trying something new in the kitchen helps doesn't it?? :)
    I really love Carob! I use the chips and the powder. I like to add it to my smoothies to give it that chocolate taste! Yum!

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    1. It does! Thank goodness :) Thank you Brandi - and I'm glad to find another carob lover. I adore it but so many people don't!

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  5. hope your migraine is gone and you're feeling better!

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  6. One word..yum!
    I have never tried gogi berries before if you can believe it!! And hey, I love the idea of them being called "bites."

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    1. Goji berries are odd little things - by themselves I don't like them much, but mixed into cereal, or covered in chocolate (and now carob) I love them! They are meant to be nutritionally brilliant so they also make me feel better about the chocolate / carob coating :P

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  7. Sorry to hear that you're feeling this way - I have been too for the past couple of days! Everything just feels uncomfortable. But anyway, these bars look delicious, I'll have to give them a go soon!

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    1. Oh, I'm sorry to hear you've had a similar few days. I hope you're back to normal soon and you find your own kitchen (or otherwise) pick-me-up in the mean time.

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  8. sorry to hear about the migraine. Not fun at all :(

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    1. No :( Although I am grateful I don't get them as badly as some people - mine normally don't last more than a day, and I don't throw up, which is a very good thing!

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  9. So sorry to hear to you had such a rough day, migraines are never fun to deal to deal on top of everything else. I hope your weekend was brighter!

    I must confess that I haven't eaten carob since I was a child, I did quite enjoy it back then. I seem to have lost my chocolate tooth in my adult years but I am interested to try carob again one day as I see recipes using it on blogs occasionally. I'll tuck your recipe away for when I decide to experiment with carob, it sounds interesting.

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    1. Thank you Mel - it was, to my relief and gratitude :)

      I was introduced to carob as a child too and I have a theory that those who like it in adulthood were introduced to it and liked it in childhood (it's working so far!). I still have my chocolate tooth but I enjoy it hugely - I hope you have fun with it if you do get back into trying it out.

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  10. I hope that you are feeling better! Migraines are never fun. :-( I have never heard of carob before, but your treats look really yummy. I always like to try new treats and recipes so I will have to add this recipe to my "to do" baking list. I have made homemade protein bars that turned out fabulous. They had chocolate chips, protein powder, coconut and cranberries in them. So delish!

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    1. Thank you Tasha! Carob is a bit like cocoa / chocolate but also different...I definitely recommend trying it and you can probably find carob coated fruit or candy bars in a health food store if you want to give it a go without creating your own thing!

      Those protein bars sound wonderful :)

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  11. Sorry to hear about your 'off' week last week, but glad that your caroby treats helped to overcome it a bit!

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    1. Thank you Theresa! Thank goodness for baking / kitchen creating :)

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  12. Messy or no they look delicious to me!

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  13. I hope you're feeling in a better place this week Kari. I love rice kris pies in chocolate and I love the homemade stuff way better than the bought versions. :)

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    1. Thank you Liz - I am definitely in a better place :) There is something great about homemade versions isn't there? And krispies!

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  14. Kari I really hope things are looking up for you. (and if they are still looking a little murky, sending lots of love and lightness to you dear lady.)
    xxxx

    ps. carob and I are not particularly firm friends.

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    1. Thanks so much Brydie; I am (all the love and lightness helped!).

      I will make sure my next chocolate bar-type creations are of the cocoa variety, for all you carob doubters and dislikers ;)

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  15. This post resonates in 2 very different ways to me, Kari

    1) I know exactly how you feel when you describe feeling 'wrong' - just know you are not the only one who goes through feeling like this. I find cooking/baking/creating really helps get me out of an emotional slump such as this

    2) You are blowing my mind with these crunchy carob bites.... I LOVE carob... I am imaging all sorts of additions to your recipe - I love a good carob/walnut combo!

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    1. Thank you so much Lou - I really appreciate this, probably more than a comment reply can convey. I didn't realise how many others experienced that 'wrong' feeling, and whilst I wish you didn't have to go through it too, it is reassuring to know I am not the only one. And I am thrilled to find another carob lover as I adore it but so many people don't!

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