Mini Marzipan Carrots Recipes

Steps:

• Tint marzipan with orange and red food coloring, a drop at a time, to reach desired color. Divide into 12 pieces. (Cover with plastic wrap when not using.) Shape each piece into a ball, then roll into logs, tapering 1 end, to resemble carrots.
• Dip a paring knife into cocoa powder. Make tiny indentations in each carrot with cocoa-dusted knife to evoke the vegetable's texture. Carrots will keep, covered, for up to 1 week. Push fronds into top of each carrot before serving.

Steps:

• Roll out the marzipan until 3/4 inch thick, using confectioners' sugar to dust the work surface and rolling pin to avoid sticking. Cut into rectangles, about 1 1/2 by 3 inches each, or cut into other shapes.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth. Set a rack on a sheet of parchment paper or on a baking sheet. Using two forks, dip each piece of marzipan in the chocolate to cover completely. Transfer to the rack and decorate with pistachios and dried rose petals. Allow to set until firm, about 30 minutes.
• In a food processor, blend the nuts until they're finely ground and just starting to clump together (but don't over-blend them or you'll end up with nut butter). Add the confectioners' sugar, extract, rosewater (if using) and salt; pulse to combine.
• With the motor running, drizzle in the corn syrup and blend to form a dough. It may still look crumbly in the food processor, but if you squeeze it in your hand, it should stick together. (You may find that you don't need all of the corn syrup.) Form the marzipan into a ball or log and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap until ready to use. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• With a toothpick, add a dab of food coloring to the marzipan and knead with fingers to combine; continue until desired shade is achieved.
• Shape mounded 1/2 teaspoons of marzipan into 24 balls, and place on a clean work surface. Using your hands, roll each piece back and forth to form a 2-inch log. Using your fingers, shape one end of each log into a tapered point to form a carrot shape. (It needn't be perfect; garden carrots have lumps and bumps.) Use the tip of a skewer or toothpick to make a small hole at the top of the carrot. Using a paring knife, make small grooves across the surface of each carrot in a random design. Carrots can be kept at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.
• When ready to serve, roll carrots in cookie crumbs, lightly brushing off excess, and insert carrot greens into the holes.
• Mini Marzipan Carrots how-to
• Orange-tinted marzipan balls are rolled into carrot shapes on a work surface, then scored with a knife. The marzipan carrots are then rolled in chocolate cookie crumbs and topped with carrot greens or dill to make them look like they're fresh from the garden.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Spread pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool completely. Chop pecans finely, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl,whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. Using the smallest holes of a box grater, grate carrots. (You will need a total of 2 1/2 cups.) Place grated carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, vegetable oil, and ginger in a large bowl; whisk until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.
• Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Invert cupcakes onto the rack; then reinvert and let them cool completely, top sides up. Spread tops with Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting, swirling to coat, and garnish with Mini Marzipan Carrots. Cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Carrot-Ginger Layer Cake Variation
• Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment, and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. Follow instructions for Carrot-Ginger Cupcakes, dividing batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Run a knife or an offset spatula around the edges. Invert cakes onto the rack; peel off the parchment. Reinvert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Slice each cake in half horizontally into two layers. Place one of the bottom layers on a cake plate, and spread 3/4 cup frosting over the top. Repeat with the remaining layers and more frosting. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days, covered with a cake dome. When ready to serve, place Marzipan Carrots on top and around the edge of the cake.
• Orange Cream-Cheese Frosting
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining ingredients, and beat 5 minutes. Frosting can be kept at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours.
• Mini Marpizan Carrots
• With a toothpick, add a dab of food coloring to the marzipan and knead with fingers to combine; continue until desired shade is achieved.
• Shape mounded 1/2 teaspoons of marzipan into 24 balls, and place on a clean work surface. Using your hands, roll each piece back and forth to form a 2-inch log. Using your fingers, shape one end of each log into a tapered point to form a carrot shape. (It needn't be perfect; garden carrots have lumps and bumps.) Use the tip of a skewer or toothpick to make a small hole at the top of the carrot. Using a paring knife, make small grooves across the surface of each carrot in a random design. Carrots can be kept at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.
• When ready to serve, roll carrots in cookie crumbs, lightly brushing off excess, and insert carrot greens into the holes.

Steps:

• Divide orange marzipan into 24 pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a carrot shape. Using a paring knife, make crosswise grooves in each carrot.
• On a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar, roll out green marzipan to 1/4 inch thick. Using a small leaf-shape cookie cutter, cut out 24 leaves. On one side of each leaf, make 1/8-inch-long slices with a paring knife, and gently fan to create a fernlike effect.
• Using a toothpick, make a tiny hole (about 1/4 inch deep) in the top of each carrot. Gently push stem end of each leaf into a carrot with toothpick. Carrots can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper up to 2 weeks.