Carrot cake jam and a cookbook teaser

Yay! Another delivery from Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks with a book I worked on last year. This one is called Made From Scratch and it features trusted recipes to make basic foods that you may not have thought to make before, such as your own fresh cheeses, butter, breads, smoked and salted goods as well as condiments.

As always this book is beautifully styled and is gorgeous to flick through over a cup of tea.

Today I am sharing one of my recipes from the book for a carrot cake conserve which is delicious on toast or scones with a creamy cheese.

Carrot cake conserve

Buttermilk english muffins

Rosemary haloumi

Carrot cake conserve

 

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The flavours of this unusual carrot conserve – carrot, pineapple, ginger and cinnamon – conjure up the taste of carrot cake. Serve it over walnut or grainy bread, spread with something creamy like ricotta or cream cheese and a dusting of ground cinnamon.

Serves: 6 cups

Ingredients

• 1kg (2 pounds) carrots, grated coarsely
• 2 litres (8 cups) water
• 2∕3 cup (160ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways, seeds scraped
• 1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 cups (660g) caster (superfine) sugar
• 2 medium green apples (300g), grated coarsely
• 440g (14 ounces) crushed canned pineapple in natural juice
• ½ cup (75g) raisins

Instructions

1. Place carrot, the water, lemon juice, spices and vanilla in a large saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until carrot is soft.
2. Add sugars, apple, pineapple and raisins to the pan. Stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil; boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until thick. Stir occasionally during the last 10 minutes of cooking to prevent sticking. Discard vanilla bean.
3. Pour hot jam into hot sterilised jars; seal immediately. Label and date jars when cold. Store in a cool dark place; refrigerate after opening.

Notes

- It is always better to grate nutmeg freshly as it will have the best taste, however, if all you have is ground you can, of course, use that.
- To sterilise jars, immerse clean jars and lids in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Use tongs to remove and place on a clean tea towel to dry. Fill the hot jars to the top with hot conserve and seal.
- Try this on warm waffles with vanilla ice-cream as a dessert.
- This conserve keeps for 6 months.

3.3.3077

Photographers   Ben Dearnley, William Meppem

Stylist   Sophia Young 

Food preparation   Charlotte Binns-McDonald, Alice Storey

Made From Scratch is available from booksellers and online at magshop.com.au

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