13
round cake pans with cooking spray; line the
bottom with a round of parchment paper and
spray again. Reserve.
2. Insert the thick shredding disc; use medium
pressure to shred the carrots. Divide carrots
in half. Steam half the carrots until tender,
about 6 to 8 minutes. Reserve the remaining
raw carrots.
3. Insert the metal blade. Pulse the flour, baking
powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger
and nutmeg to sift. Remove and reserve.
4. Process the steamed carrots on HIGH until
smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the brown
sugar and oil; process until smooth, 10 sec-
onds. Add the eggs one at a time, processing
on HIGH, 10 seconds after each addition.
Add the vanilla extract; process on HIGH to
combine, 5 seconds; scrape the bottom and
sides of the work bowl. Add the flour mixture;
pulse to incorporate, about 10 times. Add the
¾ cup of pecans, raisins and pineapple. Pulse
until just combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the two pre-
pared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30
to 35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out
clean when inserted in the center. Cool in the
pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire
cooling rack and remove the parchment paper.
Cool completely before frosting. This cake is
actually better when made a day ahead. The
layers may also be well wrapped and frozen.
6. While cakes are baking, prepare the frosting.
Clean out the work bowl and metal blade.
Put the metal blade back into the clean work
bowl. Process the cream cheese on HIGH
until smooth. In a double boiler over hot water,
carefully melt the white chocolate. Cool slight-
ly. With the machine running on HIGH, pour
the melted chocolate down the feed tube and
process until smooth. This will make enough
frosting to frost the layers and sides of the
carrot cake. Use an offset spatula to frost the
cake. Garnish with pecan/walnut halves.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 610 (45% from fat) • carb. 75g • pro. 11g • fat 31g
sat. fat 10g • chol. 73mg • sod. 444mg • fiber 4g
Basic Flaky Pastry Dough
This recipe makes ample crust for a 9- to 11-inch regular
or deep-dish pie or tart. Leftover pastry may be rolled
out and cut into shapes to garnish the pie, or brushed
with milk, sprinkled with sugar or cinnamon and sugar,
and baked until lightly browned.
For a single crust pie or tart:
1½
cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
¼
teaspoon kosher salt
¹∕³
teaspoon baking powder
8
tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into
½-inch pieces, well chilled
2
tablespoons vegetable shortening
(preferably non-hydrogenated), cut into
½-inch pieces, well chilled
2–4 tablespoons ice water
For a single crust pie with a lattice top:
2½
cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
½
teaspoon kosher salt
¼
teaspoon baking powder
12
tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into
½-inch pieces, well chilled
2
tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut
into ½-inch pieces, well chilled
4–6 tablespoons ice water
1. Insert the metal blade. Process the flour, salt
and baking powder on LOW to sift, 10 sec-
onds. Add the well-chilled butter and shorten-
ing. Use short rapid pulses until the mixture
resembles coarse cornmeal and no pieces
of butter larger than a pea remain visible, 15
to 20 pulses. Sprinkle half the maximum ice
water on the flour and butter mixture, then
pulse 5 or 6 times. The dough will be crum-
bly, but should begin to hold together when
a small amount is picked up and pressed
together. Sprinkle on more water, a teaspoon
(two for the two-crust recipe) at a time, with
2 to 3 quick pulses after each addition, add-
ing just enough water for the dough to hold
together easily when pressed into a ball. Add
the liquid sparingly so that the dough is not
sticky. Do not over-process or the pastry will
be tough, not tender and flaky.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured sur-
face. Press together into a ball, then flatten
into a disc about 6 inches in diameter (two
discs for the two-crust recipe). Wrap in plastic
wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before continu-
ing, to allow the gluten in the flour to rest. The
dough will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days,
or may be frozen (double-wrapped) for up to a
month. Thaw at room temperature for an hour
before using.
Note:
To bake the pastry blind for a single-
