No one should be watching and rewatching Culinary Class Wars as much as me. But I have a series to make, so I gotta do the research!!

I have received quite a few requests for different dishes from the show (thank you!) and I am slowly working my way through them. Just you wait!!

Today I have Culinary Monster’s “Carrot Cake”. If you ask me, it’s clearly a trifle. I digress!

I’m gonna be real with you. Is it better than a regular, thickly slathered, cream cheese frosted carrot cake, that we all know and love? Uhhhhhhhhhhhh no. But it is certainly carrot focused, which is unique, and a much lighter fun twist on a carrot cake.

I think if I wanted to make it more indulgent I would swap the ricotta for mascarpone or cream cheese (but I was just following in Culinary Monster’s footsteps ok!!)

Personally I used store bought carrot juice for this recipe, but if you have a juicer, feel free to go above an beyond and make your own carrot juice! I’m sure it will taste even better.

Let’s make it!

Recipe:

Makes 3 mini cups

Carrot Syrup:

250ml carrot juice
10ml lemon juice
40g granulated sugar
15g corn syrup
.5g xanthan gum (optional)
2g salt

In a small bowl add the sugar and xanthan gum (if using). Stir to disperse the powder, this will prevent clumping when added to liquid.

In a small sauce pot, add the carrot juice, lemon juice, corn syrup and sugar/xanthan gum mixture.

Set it over medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Allow this syrup to simmer and thicken, stirring frequently. This should take about 10-15 minutes.

Once it reaches a syrupy viscosity, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

Add salt, and stir to finish. This will be used to make the Carrot Brioche (see below).

Candied Carrots & Oranges (Jeonggwa):

1/2 large carrot
1 navel orange
55g granulated sugar
55g water
30g corn syrup

Prep your carrot and orange: Wash and peel your carrot. Use a mandolin to create thin round slices. Place the carrot slices in a bowl of cold water.
Use a knife to remove the orange peel and separate the orange segments. Set the segments aside for now.

In a small saucepan, add the water, sugar and corn syrup. Place it over low heat and bring it to a simmer.
After about 3-4 minutes, once the bubbles begin to slow down/ thicken slightly. Add your carrot slices.

Stir carrots for 20 seconds before adding your orange segments.

Stir gently as not to break the orange segments. Let it simmer on low in the syrup for 40 seconds before carefully removing all the contents—carrots and oranges— from the pan. The carrots should be softened, bright in colour, but not mushy!

Place them on a plate or baking tray to cool.

Ricotta & Lime Cream:

200g full fat ricotta
100g 3.5% yogurt
zest 1/2 lime
10ml lime juice
pinch salt

In a small bowl combine all of the above ingredients.
If you find your ricotta is too granular, combine everything in a food processor and pulse until smooth!

Place in the fridge to help solidify slightly before using.

Carrot Brioche:

1 batch Carrot Syrup
2 slices brioche bread

Using 3/4” thick slices of brioche, use a circular cookie cutter to punch out 6 rounds of bread. Eat the scraps or save to use for breadcrumbs!

Place the punched out rounds on a tray or in a bowl.

Pour the prepared, cooled Carrot Syrup over the brioche rounds. Gently press them to help them absorb the carrot syrup—like sponges!
Note that this carrot syrup is quite sweet! Don’t worry, once everything comes together the dish’s sweetness becomes more balanced.

Reserve remaining carrot syrup that was not absorbed!

Fried Ginger Threads

1 knob ginger
500ml neutral oil (for frying)

Use a spoon to scrape the outside fibrous skin off the knob of ginger.

Carefully cut the ginger lengthwise to create super thin slices. Stack the thin slices and proceed to cut thin, thread-like pieces.

In a small saucepan, add your neutral oil, and place it over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, but not smoking (about 320 degrees F) add your ginger threads.

Fry for about 1 minute. Once they start turning golden, promptly remove them from the oil and place on a paper towel to absorb any grease.

To assemble:

(If using a clear glass) Line the perimeter with candied carrot slices by sticking them to the side of the glass. If using a opaque cup, feel free to skip!
Add 2-3 tbsp of the ricotta & lime cream at the bottom of the glass.
Add 1 carrot brioche round
Add a portion of candied carrots and orange segment pieces
Repeat steps 2 & 3
For the final layer, add some of that remaining carrot syrup
Top with more candied carrots, orange segments and fried ginger!
Repeat all of the above with remaining 2 glasses to create a total of 3 Carrot “Cakes”

These are best eaten within 2 days. The flavours will meld and mend together, kind of like tiramisu! When all the components are eaten together the level of sweetness is perfect in my opinion.

Enjoy!