Carrot Candy

Recipe Author: Conne Ward Cameron

This recipe from Mark Bittman’s “VB6” (Vegan Before 6) book. Here’s what he says about it:

“Here, you concentrate the sweetness of carrots by slow-roasting them until they’re essentially dehydrated. The resulting “candy” is slightly chewy and slightly crisp—the perfect healthy snack to eat alone, or as a vehicle for dips.

You can use this technique on virtually any vegetable, alone or in combination. Thinly sliced fennel bulbs, beets, parsnips, celery root, and turnips all work great, as will cauliflower or broccoli florets. All will take somewhere between 2½ and 3 hours, depending on the cut and how dry the vegetables were to begin with. If you want something crunchy and salty, try the variation. If you have the pans and oven space, make at least a double batch, using an assortment of vegetables. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.”

Ingredients:

8 medium carrots (about 1 pound) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 225°F. Peel the carrots and cut them into ¹⁄8-inch coins. Toss them with the olive oil and salt, then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cook until slightly shriveled, dehydrated, and sweet but still soft and chewy. You might have to move them or the pan around to ensure they don’t burn or get too crisp.

Start testing the carrots after about 2 hours, and remove them from the oven when they’re as chewy or crisp as you like, another 30 to 60 minutes. Cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.