Carrot Roll with Cream Cheese

Name: Carrot Roll with Cream Cheese
Ingredients: 400 g carrots; 4 eggs; salt, pepper; 1 tbsp vegetable oil + 1 tbsp butter; 200 g cream cheese; 2 sprigs of dill; 1-3 cloves of garlic; 1-2 tsp sour cream; salt, pepper

A wonderfully tender, soft, and delicious roll with a carrot base and a savory filling of cream cheese and garlic. It's simple to make, looks absolutely stunning, and will be a great addition to any festive table. You can prepare it ahead of time — it keeps well in the refrigerator. The flavor is surprisingly delicate and light — I'd even say airy and refined. You can enjoy it at a holiday dinner even when you think you couldn't possibly eat another bite :) Anticipating the most obvious question, I'll say upfront that the roll doesn't taste like boiled carrots — you can tell that carrots are the main ingredient, but the flavor is very subtle and transformed. I absolutely loved this wonderful roll — it's delicious, beautiful, and good for you too!

Ingredients:

400 g carrots
4 eggs
salt, pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil + 1 tbsp butter
Filling:
200 g cream cheese
2 sprigs of dill
1-3 cloves of garlic
1-2 tsp sour cream
salt, pepper

How to cook carrot roll with cream cheese

Peel the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater (a food processor makes this much easier and faster). In a skillet, heat the butter and vegetable oil over medium-high heat, then add the carrots.

Cover and cook over low heat for about 10–20 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally. The carrots should not burn or dry out — they should simply braise gently over low heat, gradually softening. Season with salt and pepper.

Let the carrots cool completely, then add the egg yolks and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.

Fold the beaten egg whites into the carrot mixture in batches, gently incorporating each addition before adding the next.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the carrot mixture into a rectangle approximately 30×35 cm. Some liquid may seep out around the edges — that's normal; the mixture is not completely uniform.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 10–15 minutes — don't overbake! Let the finished sheet cool completely.

For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a bowl (the cream cheese should be at room temperature). One small clove of garlic is more than enough for me, but adjust entirely to your own taste. You only need a small amount of dill — be sure to strip it from the stems and chop it as finely as possible.

Mix well. If needed, add a little more sour cream — the filling should be very thick but pliable enough to spread evenly over the base.

Spread the filling over the base, leaving a couple of centimeters bare along the far edge.

Roll it up into a tight log. Then wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or longer.

Slice into 1 cm rounds with a sharp knife and delight your family or guests. Just look at how beautiful it turns out! And to think this masterpiece is made from carrots! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!