A Substitute for Cocoa

• Carob powder can substitute for cocoa in cake, cookie, candy and drink recipes. Use about 1 1/2 to 2 parts carob in place of 1 part cocoa, by weight. So, if a recipe calls for 2 ounces of cocoa, include 3 to 4 ounces of carob. Three tablespoons of carob powder and 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk will substitute for a square of baking chocolate in recipes.

Distinctive Characteristics

• Carob does not have caffeine. It's naturally sweet and less bitter tasting than cocoa. Carob also contains pectin, a soluble fiber. Carob is suitable for people who have an intolerance or allergy to chocolate. It doesn't duplicate the flavor of chocolate directly, but rather suggests it.

Cooking with Carob

• • Mix carob powder into warm milk with spices such as ginger and cardamom for a comforting, cold-weather drink.
  • Add a small amount of carob to a bread recipe to deepen the color of the dough; the effect on the flavor will be minimal.
  • Flavor ice cream by mixing a few teaspoons of the powder into vanilla ice cream; infuse nut butter with a chocolate-y sweetness by stirring carob powder in; add 1/4 cup carob powder to pancake batter, in lieu of 1/4 cup of the flour.

Caring for Carob

• Baked goods made with carob powder are more vulnerable to burning, so reduce the oven's heat by 25 degrees. Carob flour should be stored in a cool, dry place -- preferably in an airtight container. Lumps may naturally form in stored carob; simply sift it before using.