Candied carrots make a playful and elegant garnish for your carrot cake or cupcakes, adding the perfect crispy texture to your dessert! This distinctive topping is sure to impress even the most discerning guests. The process of making candied carrots is as enjoyable as eating them, and their delicate curls create a stunning decoration that elevates your baked goods to a whole new level.
With their mild flavor, candied carrots are a versatile addition, perfect for enhancing almost any cake, cupcake, muffin, or sweet bread.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large carrots (outer skin removed)
- Parchment paper
- Cooking spray
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 225°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
- Using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel 15-20 long strips from the carrots.
- In a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil.
- Add the carrot strips, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the syrup from burning.
- Drain the carrot strips and let them cool for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the strips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they don’t touch each other to prevent sticking.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the carrot strips from the oven.
- Working quickly, wrap each strip around the handle of a wooden spoon, slide it off, and sprinkle with sugar.
- Let the carrot curls cool for 30 minutes.
- Once cooled, layer them between wax paper and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
NOTES
Be sure to act fast after removing the carrot strips from the oven to prevent them from drying out. By removing them one at a time, you’ll have a bit more time to work with each strip before it hardens.
This recipe makes 15-20 candied carrot curls.
