Carrot Donuts or if you'd prefer Churros

January is typically a detox month after the excesses of December. However, with the weather as cold as it has been this week and with snow on the way, you have allow yourself a little comfort food. If you're home this weekend why not treat the family to some homemade donuts with one of your five a day: carrot. Bea, the other half of roomtobreathe, gave me this old family recipe handed down through the generations. The Portuguese traditionally make these at Christmas and for Carnival and they're not called 'sonhos or dreams' for nothing. They're so delicious I can't think of a reason why you shouldn't make these all year round!



500gms Cooked carrots
1 egg
250gms Plain flour
250gm Caster sugar
Cinnamon to taste
1 small glass of Portuguese firewater Aguardente/Italian Grappa or Port.
The juice and zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon baking powder

Once the carrots are cooked pop them in a food processor and mash. Then add the yolk of 1 egg, the sugar and Cinnamon (as a guide I'd say 2 tablespoons but I do like the taste of it). Keep the motor running, add the flour, baking powder and finally the firewater. Whisk the egg white until it holds then add it to the carrot mixture.

Meanwhile heat up vegetable oil in a deep frying pan. These babies need to be deep fried. Once the oil is hot drop in a table spoon of the mixture. They will need a few minutes on each side. Then remove and place of a prepared plate with kitchen roll. This will soak up some of the unnecessary excess oil. Once they're all done mix some sugar with cinnamon on a plate and dip them in coating them fully.

They will keep up to a week in airtight container.





500gms Cooked carrots
1 egg
250gms Plain flour
250gm Caster sugar
Cinnamon to taste
1 small glass of Portuguese firewater Aguardente/Italian Grappa
The juice and zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon baking powder

Once the carrots are cooked pop them in a food processor and mash. Add the egg yolk, the sugar and Cinnamon (as a guide I'd say 2 tablespoons but I do like the taste of it). Keep the motor running, add the flour, baking powder and finally the firewater. Whisk the egg white until it holds then add it to the carrot mixture.

Meanwhile heat up some vegetable oil in a deep frying pan until it is piping hot then turn it down to a moderate heat, I would say go up to three quarters of the way up the side with the oil. These need to be deep fried. Once the oil is hot drop in a table spoon of the mixture. They will need a few minutes on each side. Then remove and place of a prepared plate with kitchen roll. This will soak up some of the unnecessary excess oil. Once they're all done mix some sugar with cinnamon on a plate and dip them in coating them fully.

They will keep up to a week in airtight container.

Enjoy and I defy anyone not to lick their fingers after eating one of these sugar beauties glistening away!



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