Sugar-free Vegan Chocolate with Carob

A delicious sugar- and caffeine-free vegan chocolate made with carob powder.

Many of us love to indulge in chocolate heaven from time to time.

Being not only vegan but also currently pregnant, I found myself searching for ways I can still enjoy the occasional sweet treat without worrying about some of the negative side effects that caffeine (found in chocolate) can have.

So, I am delighted to share this wonderful recipe with you and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

I have included carob in many of my recent recipe creations and here is just a quick reminder about its nutritional values and benefits.

Caffeine-free with chocolate-like flavor
Fat-free
Naturally sweet with low glycemic index (GI)
Contains vitamins including A, B2, B3 and B6 as well as the minerals copper, calcium, manganese, potassium, magnesium, zinc and selenium
Source of dietary fiber, helping to keep bowels healthy and lower cholesterol
Contains tannins(polyphenols found in plants) which may help in preventing growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines and combat toxins in the digestive tract. Carob tannins have also been shown to help in the treatment of diarrhea.

And now let’s get to the recipe.

Warning: These chocolates are so yummy and can be a little addictive 😊 So remember: everything in moderation 😉

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups of carob powder
2/3 cup of cacao butter
¼ cup of soy lecithin
2 tablespoons of stevia ( I used the granulated version which gives the chocolates a crunchy texture. Alternatively, you can use liquid stevia or another natural sweetener of your choice)
Pinch of salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add 1 inch of water into the bottom of a pot. Place a glass bowl on top to create a double boiler.
2. Bring the pot to a simmer, then turn the heat down to medium-low.
3. Add the cocoa butter into the bowl to melt.
4. Whisk in the carob powder, soy lecithin, stevia and optional pinch of salt until fully incorporated.
5. Remove from the heat.
6. Pour into molds (I used ice cube tray ) and let the chocolate set for about 1-2 hours in the fridge.

Enjoy!

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