Carrot Cake
Passion Fruit Curd, Fenugreek Cream Cheese, Fenugreek Milk Jam, Baklava Bark
Pastry Chef Tess Cunningham of Sarma | Somerville, MA
Adapted by StarChefs | May 2024
INGREDIENTS
Baklava Bark:
450 grams phyllo dough
6 ounces melted butter
½ cup demerara sugar
1 cup melted white chocolate chips
¼ chopped toasted walnut
1 tablespoon toasted coconut
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed
Maldon salt
Fenugreek Milk Jam:
Yield: 1 quart
2 quarts whole milk
141 grams maple syrup
236 grams granulated sugar
236 grams glucose
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup dried fenugreek
Carrot Cake:
Yield: 2 quarter sheet trays
4 cups granulated sugar
8 cups grated carrot
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
½ cup toasted sesame seed
8 whole eggs, room temperature
2 cups canola oil
Passion Fruit Curd:
Yield: ¾ quart
5 ounces cubed butter
½ cup passion fruit purée
⅔ cup granulated sugar
3 whole eggs
6 egg yolks
Fenugreek Cream Cheese:
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature
½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup heavy cream
To Assemble and Serve:
Passion fruit seeds
METHOD
For the Baklava Bark:
Heat oven to 375°F. On a work surface, slice phyllo dough in half. Transfer 1 half sheet to a greased, parchment-lined sheet tray. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Top with another half phyllo dough sheet. Brush with additional melted butter and sprinkle of additional 1 teaspoon sugar. Repeat process with remaining phyllo dough until stack is 8 layers of dough. Using a sharp knife, cut dough stack to form 10 rectangles. Cover with parchment paper followed by another sheet tray. Press down to compress dough. Bake 28 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove top sheet tray and drizzle phyllo dough with chocolate. Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate in an even layer. Top with nuts, coconuts, seeds, and salt. Refrigerate until cooled. On a work surface, break bark into cracker-sized pieces. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Fenugreek Milk Jam:
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring all ingredients to a boil, whisking constantly. Once boiling, reduce heat and cook 1 hour, or until mixture is reduced and has darkened in color, whisking every few minutes. Remove from heat and, using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Carrot Cake:
Heat oven to 325°F. In a bowl, combine 2 cups sugar and carrots. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and sesame seeds. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine eggs and remaining 2 cups sugar until mixture has thickened. With the machine running on low speed, slowly stream in oil, then add flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in macerated carrots and juices. Transfer batter evenly to 2 greased and parchment-lined quarter sheet trays. Bake 18 minutes. Let cool.
For the Passion Fruit Curd:
Place butter in a nonreactive container and set aside. In a bowl set over a double boiler, combine all remaining ingredients. Whisk constantly until mixture has thickened. Strain over butter. Using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth and is full emulsified. Cover and refrigerate.
For the Fenugreek Cream Cheese:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl and add salt and ½ cup Fenugreek Milk Jam. Mix until combined. With the machine running on low speed, slowly stream in heavy cream. Scrape down sides of bowl, then mix on high speed until mixture has thickened. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
On a work surface, slice both Carrot Cakes in half, crosswise. Using an offset spatula, top Carrot Cake with Fenugreek Cream Cheese. Place 1 Carrot Cake layer on top of the other. Gently press down to remove any air bubbles. Using a piping bag, pipe Fenugreek Cream Cheese in a border around the edges of the cake. Pour Passion Fruit Curd within the border and, using an offset spatula, spread Curd evenly across the cake. Top with additional Carrot Cake layer. Freeze until cake is firm. Top with remaining Fenugreek Cream Cheese. Garnish with passion fruit seeds, Baklava Bark shards, and a drizzle of Fenugreek Milk Jam.
