Much like chocolate, carob comes from the thick pods of a tropical tree which contain the dense pulp that is turned into carob itself. The pulp is dried and ground to a powder that very much resembles cocoa powder. In taste and texture, however, cocoa and carob powder are very different! Carob is naturally sweet and somewhat softer in texture than its cocoa cousin. Carob and carob chocolate happen to be free of caffeine, making carob a great choice for those who have caffeine sensitivity. Carob is a calcium superstar, containing triple the calcium of regular chocolate. In most baking recipes, carob and chocolate can be substituted one for one.
