How do top professional bakers and chefs use candied carrots?

Candied carrots are one of the most popular ingredients used by chefs and master bakers in kitchens across the globe. Their flavour and texture are unique and lend each savoury or sweet meal a different and innovative touch that is favoured by hospitality professionals and their clients alike.

Candied carrots are a very versatile ingredient when it comes to using them in sweet or savoury dishes. Their velvetiness, singular flavour and various formats make candied carrots a popular ingredient.

Candied carrots have many uses, with glazed baby carrots being used in vegetable soups, vegetable stews, or as a garnish for meat or fish. Canned julienne carrots are often used for oven-baked or grilled vegetable dishes, as well as with tortilla or vegetable chilli. Diced carrots are commonly found in cakes, pies, blancmange, custard desserts, and other sweet dishes, although many chefs also use them for delicious starters and as garnishes.

Using candied carrots in recipes

Many professional chefs consider innovative ways of using candied carrots in their dishes and this mainly relies on two factors – imagination and creativity. Here are some ways in which candied carrots can be used in different types of dishes to the delight of your clients:

Glazed carrots and thyme

This delicious garnish can be served with pasta dishes, rice, meat or fish. Using either baby or cubed candied carrots, the garnish is made by pan frying the carrots in butter, seasoning them with salt and pepper, then adding honey and Modena vinegar. Allow to simmer until reduced and sprinkle with thyme. The result is deliciously mouth-watering, to the surprise of delighted clients.

Candied carrots with apricots

This dish is made with baby carrots and candied onion. The first step is to fry the candied onion and chopped apricots together, followed by the candied baby carrots. Then add apple vinegar and fresh mint. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or spices just prior to serving. The end result is a delicious and original starter or side-dish.

Candied carrot appetizer

Candied carrots appear in all sorts of appetizers, with every chef keeping this secret ingredient up their sleeves to be used in a wide range of ways. One such appetizer is a simple dish of diced candied carrots that have been pan fried with salt, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Season with pepper or spices and serve.

Candied carrots with yogurt ice cream, curry and cream of papaya

This dessert can be made with either diced or julienne-style sliced carrots. The first step is to make frozen yogurt by liquidizing it in the blender and then leaving in the freezer to set. Then the cream of papaya is made by blending papaya, egg yolk and sugar. All the ingredients are beaten together with a curry mix made from butter, sugar, turmeric, cinnamon, flour and curry. The end result is really surprising and innovative.

Candied carrots with orange peel

This delicious appetizer is very easy to make. Take diced or julienne carrot strips and mix them with butter, honey, balsamic vinegar and orange peel. Place in the oven for eight minutes, sprinkle with mixed spices and then serve. This dish can be served as a tapa or with rice or pasta.

Candied carrots with ginger

This dish is made with candied baby carrots. They are mixed with chicken stock, sugar, ground cumin, butter and candied ginger. It can be served warm or at room temperature. Either way, it proves to be a delicious starter or garnish for meat dishes, fish, pasta or rice.

These are only a few ideas of how to use candied carrots in meals and desserts. The sheer variety of sizes and shapes that candied carrots are available in ensures that the right choice is always available. Not every brand can offer such a wide choice. Only market leaders such as Lazaya have a comprehensive catalogue of candied fruit and candied vegetables that makes life easier for professional chefs and bakers on a daily basis, offering ingredients such as candied baby carrots in strips or diced.

Each variety of candied vegetable for professional use is packaged in different sizes, with sugar-free or sweetened options, with or without dextrose, allergy-free and diabetes friendly, in tins, in plastic containers, in cartons or in glass jars. This way, the master chef or master baker can choose which style best suits the dish they wish to make and thus increase their capabilities.

Do not hesitate in contacting us to find out more about our products and the ways candied carrots are used in baking and cooking. We would be delighted to help you find the right ingredient you seek. We have been producing the best preserved fruit and vegetables for over 80 years.