The Odd Fork

The Odd Fork lately pinched these yummy vegan cookies and came here to share the recipe. Carrots, orange and candied ginger contained in the cookie dough paired excellent with Greek Red Saffron a.k.a. Krokos Kozanis (Kozani is a city in Greece where Krokos is produced), which is probably the best Greek aromatic herb.

The flowery and fruity aromas that emanated during baking time, made all kitchen forks come alive!

For about 50 small cookies:

- 2 shot glasses white sugar

- 1 shot glass olive oil

- 1 shot glass warm water

- a sachet of Krokos Kozanis in powder (0,25 g)

- 2 large carrots peeled and grated

- zest of an orange

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1 1/2 cup self rising flour

- 1/2 cup candied ginger chopped in small cubes

Preheat oven to 180* C (350* F) Fan. Dissolve Krokos Kozanis in warm water, stir and let sit for 10 minutes until water color turns to deep orange. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, olive oil and Krokos infused water. Add baking soda, orange zest, carrots, mix well and add flour mixing softly with a spatula until the dough resembles a kind of thicker cake dough (you can add some more flour if necessary). Add candied ginger last.

Using two same teaspoons drop dollops of the dough onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cookies are golden and firm around the edges.

Let them cool and store them in an airtight container. Enjoy with tea for a light, sweet breakfast or a delicious, vegan evening snack!

The Odd Fork created another unusual ice cream! It was about time since April is considered to be the first month of Spring, so what's better than a creamy, rich parfait? The combination of carrot with orange and ginger flavor is definitely a successful one!

For the carrot - ginger jam:

- 4 big carrots and a smaller one

- a lemon, zested and juiced

- 2 small oranges, zested and juiced

- a small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

- a whole star anise

- granulated sugar

For the ice cream:

- 500 ml milk cream, full-fat (35%), cold from the refrigerator

- a can of sweetened condensed milk (397 g)

- 380 g of the above carrot - ginger jam

- 1/4 cup of orange liqueur

- 1 tsp orange extract

- 1/4 tsp ground ginger

- 1/3 cup candied ginger finely chopped

Start with the carrot - ginger jam, as it should be totally cooled to use in the ice cream. Wash, peel and coarsely grate the carrots. Place in a bowl the grated carrots, orange and lemon zest and juices, ginger and anise and measure the mixture. If for example carrot mixture is 200 g, then you should add 150 g of sugar (not the same weigh, but the 3/4 of it). Boil carrot mixture and sugar for about 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquids evaporate and jam thickens. Set aside and let cool.

For the ice cream, add in the bowl of your mixer the cream and whisk on high speed until it resembles strained yogurt. Remove the bowl from mixer and by mixing softly with a spatula, add remaining ingredients and incorporate everything in a nice, thick and smooth cream. Empty this cream into a container suitable for the freezer, cover it and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving. 

On the next day, scoop ice cream into an ice cream bowl and enjoy! You can substitute candied ginger with ground nuts of choice or coarsely ground ginger cookies.