Food in Fiction -Book 1: Alice in Wonderland; Chapter 1: Carrot Cake Cookies

Welcome to Food in Fiction! This is the series where I turn my favorite books into a five-course meal.

For Book One, we are starting with none other than Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, the novel that made me a reader.

For Alice in Wonderland, I thought it'd be fitting to curate a menu for an afternoon tea based on dishes and characters from the beloved classic. For our first chapter, we have an incredibly comforting plate of carrot cake cookies. These cookies are extremely flavorful, moist and comforting. From the spiced brown butter to the multitude of textures in the cookie itself, this is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

When I was developing this recipe, I wanted to create something that reflected the beginning of the novel. Before we're thrust into the madness of Wonderland, there is one chapter where nothing happens. We get to relax and watch Alice as her sister attempts to get her to listen to the story she's reading. It feels so warm and sleepy, but is then quickly interrupted by a very late rabbit. This opening balances both the comfort of Alice's home and sister, but also Alice's whimsical nature that propels her to discover the magical world of Wonderland.

Carrot Cake Cookies:

Ingredients:

115 g Butter (vegan)

100g White granulated sugar

100g Dark brown sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract

1 flax egg

3 tbsp plant milk

150g All Purpose Flour

65g Bread flour

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 pinch salt

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Allspice

1 tsp Cinnamon

110g Carrots (Shredded)

30g Chopped nuts of choice (optional)

1 Cinnamon Stick

3-4 Cloves

Steps:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, place all 115 grams of vegan butter. Once it's melted, add in the cinnamon stick and the cloves. Let the butter simmer on low heat until it's browned. Make sure to stir continuously to prevent burning.

2. After the butter is browned, remove the cinnamon and cloves and let it rest in a cool bowl and add in one ice cube or a tsp of water to the brown butter.

3. Once the butter is cooled, begin to beat it into the sugar using a whisk, stand mixer or handheld beater.

4. When the butter and sugar are fully combined, add in the flax egg, milk and vanilla. Continue mixing these together until they are fully combined.

5. Combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg in separate bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ones with a spatula.

6. Shred the carrots with a grater or food processor. Place the shredded carrots in a cheesecloth and squeeze out all the liquid.

7. Add the carrots and chopped nuts (optional) to the dough.

8. Scoop the dough onto a lined baking sheet and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F or 180° C.

9. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

10. Remove from the oven and let chill for 5-10 minutes before enjoying with a cold glass of oat milk.

    
    

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please note that these cookies are best enjoyed with a glass of milk and a copy of Alice in Wonderland (to read obviously!).