Winter Special: Make Carrot-Based Desserts With Chef Recipes

The foggy winters in India bring with them naturally sweet red carrots. Unlike the orange-coloured carrots that are available all year round, the winter carrots are juicier and sweeter, thus making them an impeccable ingredient for desserts. From the rich, all-time favourite gajar ka halwa to the holiday-special carrot cake, the root vegetable can be used to whip up a range of sweet treats. 

If you have a sweet tooth or simply want to experiment with the winter produce during the holiday season, here are some easy chef-special recipes you cannot miss. So this season, while you cosy up in your puffy blankets, you can make the chilly nights better with a warm dessert. Follow these step-by-step recipes, specially shared by Indian chefs, and make the most of the winter vegetable.

Also Read: Winter Special: 5 Desi Carrot Dishes That Warm Every Bite

Gajar Halwa

By Maharaj Bhawar Singh, Corporate Chef at Khandani Rajdhani

Ingredients:

• 1 kg carrots
• 2½ cups milk (boiled)
• Sugar to taste
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 3 tbsp butter
• 10 almonds
• 10 pistachios
• 10 cashews
• Other nuts of your choice (optional)

Method:

1. Wash, peel and grate the carrots. 
2. Heat a pan with butter and put the grated carrot, and cook on a low flame till the raw smell disappears. 
3. Add milk and boil on a low flame till thick. Once it starts thickening, add sugar and stir continuously. 
4. Cook on a low flame for further thickness. Add cardamom powder and nuts, and stir continuously till the ghee separates from the mixture. 
5. Finally, garnish with nuts and gajrela, or gajar ka halwa is ready. Serve hot.

Carrot (Gajar) Malpua

By Executive Chef Sunil Kumar Panigrahi, Lotus Eco Beach Resort, Konark

Ingredients:

For Carrot Purée:

• 2 carrots
• ½ cup milk
• For Batter:
• 1 cup wheat flour
• ¼ cup rava/semolina/suji
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• ½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed
• ¼ tsp saffron food colour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cream
• 1 cup milk
• Oil or ghee, for frying

For Sugar Syrup:

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cardamom pods
• ¼ tsp saffron food colour
• 2 cups water

Method:

1. In a mixer jar, add carrots and ½ cup milk. 
2. Grind to a smooth purée, ensuring there are no lumps. Transfer the carrot purée to a large bowl.
3. Add wheat flour, rava, cardamom powder, crushed fennel, saffron food colour, and sugar to the purée.
4. Mix well until combined. Add cream and 1 cup milk.
5. Whisk to form a smooth batter. Cover and rest for 30 minutes, allowing the rava to soak.
6. In a saucepan, add sugar, cardamom pods, saffron food colour, and water. Mix until the sugar dissolves completely.
7. Boil for 5 minutes until a sticky sugar syrup forms. Keep aside.
8. After resting, mix the batter and adjust the consistency if required. Heat oil or ghee in a pan on medium heat.
9. Pour 2–3 tablespoons of batter using a ladle. Shallow fry until golden.
10. Flip and cook both sides until fully cooked. Drain excess oil and press gently.
11. Dip the malpua in warm sugar syrup.
12. Soak for about 2 minutes on both sides until absorbed. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve warm.

Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

By Chef Baljeet Mehra, Head Chef at Mirth Cocktail Bar & Chef Alvina

Ingredients:

For the Carrot Cake:

• 150 g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 160 ml neutral oil
• 110 g brown sugar
• 100 g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 170 g grated carrots
• 70 g walnuts

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 100 g butter (room temperature)
• 60 g condensed milk
• 75 g cream cheese (room temperature)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Prepare and line a standard loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chopped walnuts.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, caster sugar, oil, vanilla, and grated carrot until well combined.
4. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix only until you achieve a homogeneous mixture. Do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake at  180°C  for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
7. For the frosting, beat the room-temperature butter for one minute until creamy.
8. Slowly drizzle in the condensed milk while continuously beating the butter until fully incorporated.
9. Finally, add the room-temperature cream cheese and beat the mixture for another one to two minutes until the frosting is smooth and light.
10. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled carrot cake.