Carrot cake

Discover the history of Carrot cake.

1. Carrot cake

   • 400 gr. carrots
   • 275 gr. sunflower or neutral oil
   • 250 gr. pastry or weak flour
   • 200 gr. eggs (4)
   • 200 gr. brown or cane sugar
   • 150 gr. walnuts
   • 17 gr. baking powder
   • 10 gr. powder cinnamon
   • 6 gr. salt

   • Start by cleaning, peeling and shredding our carrots. Set aside.
   • On the other hand, beat the eggs and sugar for about 8-10 minutes until the mixture triples in volume.
   • Then add the oil and mix with a rubber spatula.
   • Next, sift the flour and add it to the previous mixture three times with the spatula, together with the baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
   • Now add the chopped carrot and the chopped walnuts and mix well so that they are evenly distributed.
   • Finally, pour the mixture into a round baking tin of 24 cm in diameter and bake in the oven for 50 minutes at 170° C with the heat turned up and down.
   • Allow to cool to room temperature and store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.

2. Soft caramel

   • 290 gr. heavy cream (35% fat)
   • 130 gr. vanilla or white sugar
   • 20 gr. glucose
   • 2 gr. gelatine

   • Start by hydrating the gelatine in cold water for about 10 minutes.
   • In a saucepan, heat the cream and glucose over medium heat until it comes to the boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a frying pan, cook the sugar over medium heat until it turns a deep amber caramel.
   • Then add the hot cream and glucose in a thin trickle and stir with the whisk. Some smoke will form, this is normal.
   • Cook for 5-8 minutes until the mixture is smooth, no longer smoky and slightly thickened.
   • Add the gelatine, turn off the heat, pour the caramel into a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature. Set aside until ready to use.
   • Optionally, you can fill a spiral mould about 10 cm in diameter and 5 mm deep with caramel. Set aside in the freezer for at least 4 hours until use.

3. Cream cheese filling

   • 450 gr. cream cheese
   • 270 gr. heavy cream (35% fat)
   • 90 gr. powdered sugar
   • 70 gr. soft caramel

   • In the bowl of the mixer, mix the cream cheese with the icing sugar and beat on medium speed until well blended.
   • Then add the 70 g of soft caramel and do the same.
   • On the other hand, whip the cream into stiff peaks and add it twice to the previous mixture, using a spatula to fold it in with encircling movements to prevent it from dropping.
   • Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. Confit carrots

   • Six carrots
   • Juice of two oranges

   • Start by peeling six carrots. Cut them from the stalk to a height of 6 cm, leaving 1 cm of stalk and trim them to a thickness of 1 cm. Use a vegetable peeler to give them a rounded shape.
   • Then put them in a saucepan with the orange juice and cook them over a medium heat for 20 minutes or until they are tender and soft but do not break.
   • Then drain and set aside.

5. Assembly

   • 20 gr. walnuts

   • First remove the top of our sponge cake so that it is smooth and cut it into three equal discs.
   • Then place the bottom disc on our plate and spread a little less than 1/3 of the cream cheese on top.
   • Now, add the second disc on top, add another layer of cream cheese like the previous one on top of the disc. Spread it with a spatula and place the third disc on top.
   • With a spatula, cover the sides and the top of the cake with the rest of the cream cheese, trying to make it as smooth as possible.
   • Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the cream to harden.
   • Heat the caramel to 40º C and put it in a piping bag with a smooth nozzle of 2 mm in diameter.
   • Remove the frozen caramel disc from the freezer, unmould it and place it in the centre of the top of the cake.
   • If you don't have such a mould, simply pour a generous amount of soft caramel in the centre, about 10 cm in diameter.
   • Then, pipe a few teardrops around the edge of the cake, trying to get them to fall halfway down the edge of it.
   • Finally, crush the part of the sponge cake that we have previously discarded, sprinkle a little on the top of the cake and place the confit carrots and some walnuts covered with soft caramel to taste.
   • Keep in the fridge until ready to eat and leave at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

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