Damaris Phillips Carrot Cake Bars Recipes

CARROT CAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs and oil for 2 minutes. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture. Add baby foods; mix well. Stir in walnuts if desired., Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Frost; cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

GLAZED CARROTS

Steps:

• Cut the carrots in thirds crosswise. Then cut each piece lengthwise into halves or fourths, depending on the width of the carrots. This should create spears that have at least one flat side.
• Add the oil to a cast-iron skillet and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the carrots in the oil cut-sides down and cook without turning until tender, about 6 minutes. The cut sides will be very, very dark. Some may even call it burnt. Don't worry, it'll taste great!
• Add the honey, togarashi and 1/4 cup of water to the skillet and stir up all the carrots. Cook, stirring constantly, until most of the water has cooked off and the carrots are coated. Season with salt and pepper. Top with the chopped parsley. (This will add a fresh flavor and it looks really pretty.)
• Serve right away to your impressed and amazed friends!

GRAMMY'S CARROT CAKE BARS

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C). Spray a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-centimeter) baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the oil and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat until thick and creamy. Add the carrots and mix to combine. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the flour mixture by hand, making sure not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the baking dish.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: (If you are extra fancy and have two stand mixers, then you are all set to get started, but if you are like me and just have the one, then you have to wash the bowl and paddle attachment now.) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese and butter until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup (65 g) at a time and whip on medium-low until homogenous, thick, light, and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly onto the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle the top with the walnuts. Cut the cake into thirds lengthwise and then quarters vertically to make 12 bars. Remove the cake with an offset spatula to a platter.

DAMARIS' ORANGE-CHOCOLATE BARS

Steps:

• For the base: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Put the butter, flour, cocoa, confectioners' and granulated sugars, chocolate and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Process until the mixture is slightly damp and holds together when pinched, about 1 minute.
• Generously spray a 9- by 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on all four sides and spray the foil as well. Sprinkle the crust mixture into the prepared pan and press evenly along the bottom. Take care to seal up any cracks. Bake the base until it is no longer shiny and leaves only a slight indentation when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. After removing the base, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, make the orange filling: Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar, flour and pinch of salt together in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl until smooth. Whisk in the orange and lemon juices and zests. Pour the filling over the warm crust. Bake until the filling is just set, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool the bars in the pan completely on a rack. When cool, refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight. Lift the bars out of the pan by using the foil. Trim the edges and cut into 24 bars. Dust with confectioners' sugar and top with a strip of candied orange, if using, before serving.

KIDDIE CARROT WRAPS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the carrots, golden raisins, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
• Divide the carrot mixture evenly between the lettuce leaves, about 1/2 cup for each lettuce wrap. Fold in the short ends of each leaf, then roll up to close. Set the lettuce wraps on a piece of aluminum foil and fold like an envelope to store.
• Should be eaten the same day; otherwise, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE PECAN BARS

Steps:

• For the crust: Adjust the oven rack to the bottom position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33 centimeter) baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang the edges of the pan by a few inches on two sides (this will help you lift the bars out of the pan).
• In a food processor, pulse together the butter, flour, salt and sugar until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough begins to pull from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, gather together, and pat into a rectangle. Roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick that measures about 13 by 15 inches (33 by 38 centimeters). Trim the rough edges and ease the dough into the prepared pan, pressing it onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides (trim the dough more on the sides as needed). Prick the dough a couple times with a fork. Cover with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the dough starts to set up, about 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and continue to bake until the crust is just golden, about 5 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Spread the pecans in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop.
• Beat the honey and brown sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add in the melted butter and continue to beat. Add the flour, Bourbon, orange zest and vanilla. Sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chips over the crust and pour the honey mixture over the top. Bake until the top of the filling is golden brown and the center sets up, 30 to 40 minutes. Cover and put in the refrigerator until cool. When ready to serve, cut into 12 to 24 bars.