Carrot Sorbet with Candied Carrot Roses

My husband has been making different juices for us in the morning.  He’s made various combinations of fruits with carrots.  It got me thinking of other things to do with the juicer.  The thought of sorbet intrigued me, so I started playing around with the idea.  This uses carrots and apples, but I’m sure it would be equally as nice with other fruits such as pears, oranges, etc.  A little ginger is very nice with it, too.  When making the candied carrot roses, make sure to allow the carrot strips to cool a bit before handling or else you will burn your fingertips!

½ c sugar

½ c water

10 whole allspice berries

Mix the sugar, water, and allspice berries together in a small heavy bottom pan.  Gently simmer together for 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

1 ½ lb (approx) carrots – or enough to create 2 cups of carrot juice

2 Empire apples – or enough to make 1 cup of apple juice

1 tbs of the allspice simple syrup from above

2 tea lemon juice

Pinch of salt

Juice the carrots and apples with a juicer making 2 cups of fresh carrot juice and 1 cup of fresh apple juice.  You may substitute fresh carrot juice from the supermarket.  For the fresh apple juice, I would substitute ½ cup cider and ½ cup apple juice.

Mix the juices, simple syrup, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl.  Follow the manufacturer’s directions for freezing the sorbet.  Once sufficiently frozen, spoon into a plastic container and place into the freezer.  Let sorbet rest in the freezer for one or two hours before serving.

In the mean time make the carrot roses using:

1 large carrot - peeled

Remaining simple syrup

Using a peeler, create long thin strips of carrot approx 1” wide and 4 or 5” long.  Reheat the simple syrup and simmer for several more minutes until thickened.  Gently place several pieces of carrot in the hot syrup, cook gently for a minute or so until softened flipping once.  Gently remove each strip to a sheet of non-stick aluminum foil or a silicone mat.  Once cool enough to handle, take one strip and roll the short side up creating the center of the rose bud.  Add several more pieces of carrot rolling around the center until you are happy with the bud.  Set aside on the foil and continue making rosebuds until you have a total of 4.

Serve the sorbet in individual glass dishes with one carrot rosebud and a few fresh bay leaves as garnish.

Serves 4.