Brown Sugar & Carrot Gelato with Hazelnut & Chocolate Dipped Cones

When my brother, sister and I were young my mother would go out on her own every so often and leave us to the charge of my father.  My father made two very famous dishes for us when Mama left the house - the very best macaroni and cheese from a box, and candied carrots.  We were easily impressed and overly giddy because we knew Dad was usually a soft touch for a movie night that would extend past our bedtimes.  

His candied carrots were simple.  Carrots, butter, and brown sugar.  Or at least, that’s what I think they were.  He always told us it was a secret recipe.

This gelato is the inspired offspring of my father’s very secret recipe.  

I know, I know, I'm already getting the eye-roll again.  I remember receiving the same disapproving look of "come on foodie, can't you just leave ice cream alone?" when I made that olive oil ice cream last summer.  Just give me a chance, okay?

This brown sugar carrot gelato is truly delicious, weird though it may sound.  Carrots bring a deep earthy flavor to the cream that perfectly accents the richness of the brown sugar.  Oh, and you should accidentally spill some bourbon in there too.

This gelato begins with carrots, obviously... I like to use young carrots that have a more mild flavor.  Overly mature carrots can bring a bitter flavor that would not be welcome at this gelato party.  

Oh, and did I mention that this gelato base is made in your blender?  It’s summer, and I’m keeping things simple!

This gelato is pretty darn good on its own, but I am a cone-lovin’ lady. 

While your gelato base is chilling, start roasting some hazelnuts and dipping cones in melted chocolate.

Yes, yes, yes... 

Adding coconut oil to the chocolate pre-melting will help the coating to set up nicely and remain shiny and beautiful. 

I could definitely just eat a half a dozen of these cones by themselves, but we have gelato to scoop!

It’s sweet, rich, earthy, and insanely creamy.  

Are you on board now?

Let’s summer! 

Sincerely, 

  Pedantic Foodie

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Brown Sugar & Carrot Gelato with Hazelnut & Chocolate Dipped Cones

makes about 1.5 quarts 

• 1 lb carrots*, peeled and chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups whole milk 
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/2 tablespoon bourbon
• sugar cones
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts

In a medium saucepan combine carrots, butter, water, and salt.  Place over medium high heat and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the carrots are tender.  

Once the carrots have cooked through, add brown sugar and cook for a remaining 3-5 minutes, until the sugar has melted and thoroughly coated the carrots. 

Transfer the carrots to your blender and add whole milk.  Blend until the carrots are completely smooth.  

In a separate bowl whisk egg yolks and heavy cream to combine.  Slowly stream in about 1/3 of the hot carrot mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.  Return the mixture to the bender and add vanilla extract and bourbon.  Transfer the container to the refrigerator and chill for 8 hours or overnight.  

When the gelato mixture has thoroughly chilled, prepare in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Remember, this is gelato so you are going to want to churn this as slowly as possible.  After the gelato has churned, transfer it to a freezer safe container and chill until firm. 

While the gelato is chilling prepare the cones. 

Combine chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl.  Microwave at 30 second increments, stirring well after each until the chocolate is just melted. 

In a small frying pan heat hazelnuts over medium heat until fragrant.  Remove from heat and chop finely.  

Prepare a cooling rack by placing it on a baking sheet lined with parchment.  Dip each cone about 1 1/2 inches deep in chocolate.  Remove from chocolate and hold for about 30 seconds.  This will allow the excess chocolate to fall back into the bowl and the chocolate to set up just a tiny bit.  Dust the cones with chopped hazelnuts and place on a cooling rack.  

Transfer the dipped cones to the freezer for 5-10 minutes, until the chocolate has set.  

Fill with freshly made gelato and serve immediately.  Enjoy! 

* I like to use young carrots that have a more mild flavor.  Overly mature carrots can have a bitter flavor that is highly unpleasant when turned into gelato. 

Carrots From Julia...

I fall into deep, passionate romances with books.  When I find a book I love, I not only read it every possible moment but I live it, I breathe it, I download it on my iPhone and iPad, buy the collector’s edition copy and occasionally fall asleep with it safely in my grasp.  Literary love.  It's a thing, get into it.

One romance from which I shall never recover is that of the classic masterpiece written by none other than the magnificent Julia Child herself.  Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I get chills when I turn the cover.  Pages formed of butter and red wine ink - there is nothing which compares to this bible of culinary knowledge.  I own a LOT of cook books, I love many of them but, I utterly adore Julia's book.

Before you imagine me into one of the many brave foodist who have cooked their way through the entire collection of French recipes, I am not among them.  One day I'd like to be, but right now I'm just stuck on one of the 524 recipes.

Butter braised carrots.

Carrots have tried hard to grab the attention of the culinary world.   In all their vibrant beauty, they have made a good effort to achieve recognition but they could still use a little help.  It's time for the humble root vegetable to break up with the ranch dip and come over to butter-braised Utopia - it's a good place.

I have to confess that a recipe for butter braised anything has my anticipation but I had grossly underestimated the magnitude of heavenliness I was tapping into when I chose to attempt this recipe.  I liked carrots, but after tasting these, I love carrots.  I crave them more than I crave chocolate.  That's a lot.  

Julia, you know I love you.  Thank you for bringing buttery vegetation into my life.

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

Butter Braised Carrots

recipe adapted from Masting the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

serves 4 

-1 1/2 lbs carrots (peeled, sliced and quartered)

• 1 tablespoon sugar 
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper

In a heavy bottomed saucepan combine carrots, water, sugar, salt, pepper, and butter.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and boil slowly for 20-30 minutes or until carrots are tender and all the liquid has evaporated.  Enjoy!