An olive oil carrot quick bread recipe topped with candied carrots.
Recipe Type:
Dessert
Author: Brooklyn Supper
Ingredients
For the Candied Carrots
4young carrots(I like the look of a little spray of greens, but they’re not necessary)
1cupsugar
1cupwater
For the Olive Oil Carrot Bread
1cupall-purpose flour
1cupwhole wheat pastry flour
1teaspoonbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonsea salt
1/2teaspoonfreshly grated nutmeg
1/2teaspoonground ginger
3eggs
1 1/4cupssugar
2cupsgrated carrots
1tablespoonlemon zest
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1cupextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the Candied Carrots
If needed, trim all but 1/2-inch of the carrot greens. Peel and halve carrots.
In a wide sauce pan, heat the sugar and water over medium heat. When sugar has dissolved, add the carrots and turn heat down so that mixture bubbles ever so gently. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, for 20 minutes or until thinnest part of carrot is translucent.
For the Olive Oil Carrot Bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. (Note that my pan was 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inches; I poured the extra batter into 2 buttered ramekins and baked those for 50 minutes.)
In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking powder and soda, sea salt, and spices.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar on low speed. Add grated carrots, zest, and vanilla. With mixer still on low, fold in half the flour, all of the olive oil, and then the remaining flour. Mix just until everything is well combined.
Spoon into prepared loaf pan, and slide into oven. Set a timer for 40 minutes. Pull bread from oven and carefully lay 3 or 4 candied carrot halves across the top; spoon 2 tablespoons of the syrup over the top. (The idea here is for the carrots to sink into the top ever so slightly.) Slide back into the oven, and bake 20 – 30 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached.
Cool 20 minutes, then flip out onto a platter or rack to cool completely. Slice and serve with a generous smear of salted butter.
This carrot bread is best the day of, but will keep nicely wrapped in foil, at room temperature for a few days.