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Love is in my Tummy

Plant-based flavor

February 27, 2017 By Tina Dawson 12 Comments

Vegan Carrot Halwa Jelly

Inspired by the popular Indian dessert Carrot Halwa, this simple Carrot Halwa jelly is made with carrots, cardamom & Agar. (VEGAN + GF)Inspired by the popular Indian dessert Carrot Halwa, this simple Carrot Halwa jelly is made with carrots, cardamom & Agar. (VEGAN + GF)

Spring is almost here, and that’s got me dreaming of summer, mangoes and the sun! I was thinking of cool new desserts to create for the summer (something that demands to be served cold!) and the first thing that popped into my head was the Mango and Coconut Jelly from last year!  Which in turn got me wondering if there were other desserts that I could turn into jellies!

The Beetroot Halwa is my absolute favourite and wayyy too sacred for me to mess with. So I picked the second in line – Carrot Halwa! And I am pleased to report that the experiment was a wild success!

Inspired by the popular Indian dessert Carrot Halwa, this simple Carrot Halwa jelly is made with carrots, cardamom & Agar. (VEGAN + GF)

I would usually just use a pyrex bowl or a small loaf tin to mold these jellies (and so can you) but I found using this silicone ice-cube mold from IKEA wildly satisfying. I also used powdered agar agar in this recipe, but if you want to work with other forms of agar, I recommend reading ‘All you need to know about Agar‘, the infographic at the end in particular, for proper conversion.

Whatever you are using for a mold, make sure that when you pour each layer, if forms atleast a 1/2 inch thickness all around. Gajar Halwa or traditional Carrot Halwa is served warm, and sometimes unconventionally with vanilla ice-cream. I bet this Carrot Halwa jelly will also taste awesome if served chilled with a big giant scoop of ice-cream!

Inspired by the popular Indian dessert Carrot Halwa, this simple Carrot Halwa jelly is made with carrots, cardamom & Agar. (VEGAN + GF)

I also made an awesome Mint Gel for a contrast in flavour + color and to add a kick to the carrots. Be sure to use sparingly though – it packs quite a punch! My grandmother is one of the few ‘grown-ups’ who does not like to eat vegetables. So if your kids are like my grandmother, this would be a perfect way to sneak in some vitamin A and beta-carotene into their desserts.

Inspired by the popular Indian dessert Carrot Halwa, this simple Carrot Halwa jelly is made with carrots, cardamom & Agar. (VEGAN + GF)

Here are some things you might want to remember:

  1. Carrots are naturally sweet to a certain degree, but they vary widely. So as you add the sugar prescribed in the recipe below, taste it yourself. You want it to be ‘sickeningly’ sweet before you pour it into the molds – because as it cools, sets and chills, it will loose some of that sweetness. With my measurements (trying to reduce sugar in my life), you’ll get a dessert that is just barely sweet.
  2. Agar agar powder is not the same as agar agar flakes that you’ve pulverized in the blender. Check out this post for correct conversion ratios.
  3. The mint gel is absolutely optional to make, but I thought it went great together.
  4. The texture of this jelly is more on the firm side, but if you want a softer, more wobbly jelly, reduce the amount of agar (both layers) by half. It might take longer to set though.
  5. If cardamom is not your favourite flavour, swap it with some vanilla extract instead! Stir in the vanilla just before you pour the jelly into the molds.

When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here and will share it with pride on my social media feeds.

*** This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I personally use and love.  ***

Carrot Halwa Jelly

Created by Tina Dawson on February 26, 2017

Inspired by the popular Indian dessert Carrot Halwa, this simple Carrot Halwa jelly is made with carrots, cardamom & Agar. (VEGAN + GF)

  • Prep Time:15m
  • Cook Time:10m
  • Total Time:1h
  • Serves: 6
  • Yield: 10-12 pieces

Ingredients

For the bottom layer

  • 70 g carrot, peeled and grated
  • 50 g water
  • 30 g sugar
  • 1 tsp. agar agar powder
  • 1 cardamom pod - seeds powdered

For the top layer

  • 68 g carrot, peeled and grated
  • 4 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. agar agar powder
  • 1 cardamom pod - seeds powdered

For the garnish

  • 1/8 c roasted cashews, broken into pieces

Mint Gel

  • 1/4 c mint leaves
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 3 tsp. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • pinch/drop green food coloring
  • 1/4 tsp. agar agar powder

Instructions

Prepare the bottom layer

  1. Puree the grated carrot, adding as little water as possible till you get a smooth paste. I was able to get 87g puree from the carrots.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the puree, remaining water, sugar and agar agar powder. Check that it's sweeter than you want, because sweetness will reduce as the jelly sets and cools.
  3. Transfer to the stove and bring to a slow boil while stirring continuously to prevent burning. Stir in the cardamom powder.
  4. Divide into ice-cube trays/molds, filling only halfway.
  5. Refrigerate to set while you prepare the top layer.

Prepare the top layer

  1. Extract juice from the carrots adding a little water to aid the blending. Press through a sieve to remove pulp. (I got 106g of carrot juice)
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the carrot juice, sugar and agar agar powder. Bring to a slow boil while stirring continuously.
  3. Once it starts to boil, remove from heat and stir in the cardamom powder.
  4. Take the ice-cube tray from the refrigerator and top the set bottom layer with the roasted cashews. Pour over the hot carrot juice.
  5. Move into the refrigerator to set and chill until ready to serve.

Make the mint gel

  1. Puree the mint leaves with the lemon juice and water. Run through a sieve to remove any pulp.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon-mint juice, sugar (to taste) and agar agar powder.
  3. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and stir in the food color.
  4. Pour on a wide plate and let set in the refrigerator,
  5. Once set, blend back to a liquid and run through a sieve. Use a piping bag to pipe small designs on the plate you are serving the Carrot Halwa Jelly in.
  • Print
Inspired by the popular Indian dessert Carrot Halwa, this simple Carrot Halwa jelly is made with carrots, cardamom & Agar. (VEGAN + GF)

You might also like

  • All you need to know about Agar AgarAll you need to know about Agar Agar
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  • Beet Gel | Beetroot Masala KetchupBeet Gel | Beetroot Masala Ketchup
  • Mizu Shingen Mochi | Japanese raindrop cakeMizu Shingen Mochi | Japanese raindrop cake
  • VEGAN Gulab Jamun (using leftover almond pulp)VEGAN Gulab Jamun (using leftover almond pulp)
  • Badam Milk with saffron, cardamom and pistachiosBadam Milk with saffron, cardamom and pistachios

Filed Under: 5 Ingredients or less, All Recipes, Asian style, Cuisines, Desserts, Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: agar, agar agar, cardamom, carrot, halwa

Previous Post: « Grandma’s ‘Cure All’ Cabbage Soup
Next Post: Tandoori Sweet Potato Sandwich »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa @ Lisa 3D says

    March 12, 2017 at 12:20 pm

    I’ve never tried anything like this before. Looks very intriguing!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      March 12, 2017 at 1:34 pm

      Thanks Lisa! It is truly a very interesting dessert!

      Reply
  2. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says

    February 27, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    omg! How did I not know about agar agar powder?? I didn’t realize there was a vegetarian gelatin substitute.. My mind is blown. I’m totally buying some- and i LOVE halwa!!!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      February 27, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      Oh yeah Sarah! Check out my other post on Agar! It’s an excellent vegan gelatin!

      Reply
  3. Lindsay Cotter says

    February 27, 2017 at 12:22 pm

    Love the beautiful color! Such a great dessert idea that’s so unique and is sure to wow guests! Definitely a must make!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      February 27, 2017 at 12:46 pm

      Thanks Lindsay!

      Reply
  4. Erren says

    February 27, 2017 at 12:06 pm

    These would be perfect for getting the kids to eat healthy!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      February 27, 2017 at 12:19 pm

      Absolutely!

      Reply
  5. Ashley - Forking Up says

    February 27, 2017 at 11:44 am

    Wow! These look so exotic and tasty! I’d never even heard of this dessert before, but now I want to try it!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      February 27, 2017 at 12:07 pm

      Let me know if you ever do Ashley!

      Reply
  6. Luci's Morsels says

    February 27, 2017 at 11:33 am

    This looks great! I love the idea of using the trays to mold this. Yum!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      February 27, 2017 at 12:07 pm

      So much easier too Luci!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Tina - the human behind all the content you see on this blog. Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I create flavorful and unique plant-based recipes.

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