Twisted Carrot Roses From "BraveTart" Recipe

Name: Twisted Carrot Roses From "BraveTart" Recipe
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 30
Ingredients: About 6 large carrots, at least 1 inch thick and preferably 7 to 8 inches in length; 8 ounces water (about 1 cup; 225g); 7 ounces sugar (about 1 cup; 200g); 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

Why It Works

Peeling gives the carrot strips a smooth, delicate edge.
Poaching in simple syrup makes the carrot strips glossy and pliable.

Carrot cakes are often topped with carrot-shaped squiggles of frosting or marzipan, but you don't need any special ingredients to create these simple carrot roses. For a rainbow bouquet, grab packs of orange, red, and purple "confetti carrots" at the grocery or farmers market.

Reprinted from BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts with permission from W. W. Norton.

Brown Butter Carrot Cake From "BraveTart" Recipe

Active: About 30 mins

Total: 30 mins

Serves: 12 to 30 roses, depending on size

Rate & Comment

About 6 large carrots, at least 1 inch thick and preferably 7 to 8 inches in length
8 ounces water (about 1 cup; 225g)
7 ounces sugar (about 1 cup; 200g)
1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

Peel the carrots, then place on a cutting board; with a vegetable peeler pressed firmly against the root end, drag the blade down its length. Discard the first few thin and irregular strips, and continue peeling to amass a pile of thick, even ribbons.
Combine water, sugar, and salt in a 2-quart stainless steel saucier over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Drop carrot ribbons into the bubbling syrup, simmer 30 seconds, then shut off the heat. When cool enough to handle, fish out a ribbon and let the excess syrup drip off.
Holding the skinny end with your dominant hand, twist and wrap a carrot ribbon around itself to form a "bud." Continue twisting and wrapping to create the remaining petals, then tuck the end of the strip underneath itself. If you like, more strips can be added to create a larger rose. Place on a fully frosted Brown Butter Carrot Cake, repeating with additional carrot roses to create a lush bouquet.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Special equipment

Vegetable peeler, 2-quart stainless steel saucier

Notes

For a fancy, luminous effect, dissolve a few grams of pale gold luster dust in a tablespoon of lemon juice to brush over the finished roses.

This Recipe Appears In

How to Make a Showstopping Carrot Cake

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
23	Calories
0g	Fat
6g	Carbs
0g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 30
Amount per serving
Calories	23
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 24mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 6g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg	5%
Calcium 9mg	1%
Iron 0mg	1%
Potassium 71mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.