Petite Treats for the Easter Bunny..

I am really excited to share today's recipe with you. The Petite Treats for your Easter Bunny inspired by Starbucks Petites. aren't those miniature treats absolutely adorable. i love them and think they are a smart way to enjoy sweets without over-indulging in them. so the other night when i had planned to cook some Gajar ka Halwa for us, to ration the servings and ease on the sweetness that is customary of all halwas i had decided to serve it in petite oat-cups. but cooked in unsalted butter without a hint of khoya and pistachios, my carrot halwa could not match the deliciousness of the traditional halwais halwa. so on my second attempt, working with the limited list of ingredients at hand, i decided to improvise my recipe as i went along.  and the outcome was this light, slightly spiced and not overwhelmingly sweet carrot dessert that is sure to please your family and friends and specially the carrot-crazed cute Easter bunny. 

now the recipe... 

ingredients

for the oatcups

3/4 cup baby carrots

1/3 cup ground walnuts

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

3/4 cups oatmeal

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oil

warm water 

for the carrot filling

1 1/4 cup grated baby carrots

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

11/2 tablespoons evaporated milk

1/4 heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup walnuts

5 cloves of cardamom

2 teaspoons cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon ginger powder

for garnishing

cashews 

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

what i did

for the oatcups, 

• first i preheated the oven to 350 degree F
• then put the baby carrots, walnuts and brown sugar in the blender and grated them together. 
• next i combined the carrot mixture with the remaining ingredients adding a little water at a time and kneaded the mixture to form a dough soft enough to work with. 
• after letting the dough rest on the kitchen counter for about 10 minute, i rolled it out on a floured surface, about 1/2-3/4 cm thick. then pressed pieces of the rolled out dough against the walls of a 6 cups of a mini muffin pan and baked them for 18 minutes. 
• i made oatcakes out of the remaining dough in the same way as the apple-walnut oatcakes.

for the carrot filling, 

• in a saucepan i melted the butter, added the grated carrots in it and sauteed them till the color  changed. then added in the sugar and evaporated milk and stirred for sometime. 
• next i ground the walnuts and cardamom together in the coffee grinder and added it to the carrots along with the cinnamon powder and ginger powder. i let the carrots cook in the spices for about 5-7 minutes.
• at this point i felt that a little more fat was required. so i added in the whipping cream and let the spiced carrots cook in it, until the mixture carrot mixture began to leave the sides of the pan. 

for the garnish,

i melted the white chocolate chips, then piped out the bunny face and feet on a parchment paper as shown in the picture below and let the dry on the kitchen counter overnight....

this picture was taken when i attempted a finer bunny with features. this did not work out too well.  the outline was too delicate to be stable. so on my second attempt i filled out the faces and the feet outline and as you can see that worked out pretty well...

assembling the dessert

• once the oatcups cooled down i filled them with the carrot filling and just before serving planted the chocolate bunny face and feet on top of the carrot heap.
• For Mr MN, a piece of roasted cashew was enough. so on 2 of the cups i simply perched pieces of cashew on top of the carrot heap...

and tadaa... dessert is ready to serve..

Happy Cooking and happy Friday and for some more treats check here.

Will be sharing my treat with

Bon Vivant #13 - Kids Delight @ Sumee's Culinary Bites,  Bake Fest #17 @ Cooks Joy hosted by A Homemaker's Diary, Cook Like a Celebrity Chef @ Food Corner
 Iron chef Mom~Battle Carrots
Saturday Dishes- Spring Desserts @ Tumbleweed Contessa,  Hammock Tracks, This Gal Cooks and Call Me PMC

Monday Food:

The Bulletin Board @ Mrs Happy Homemaker, Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks

Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam HandsMop it up Monday @ I should be Mopping the Floor

Meatless Monday:

Meatless Monday @Veggie Mama's,  Meatless Monday My Sweet and Savory, Just Another Meatless Monday @ Hey What's for Dinner Mom

Tuesday Food:
Hearth & Soul Blog Hop @ Premeditated Leftovers
Tempt my Tummy @Blessed with GraceTotally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box
Tasteful Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations, Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional FoodsShow Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef in Training
Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings, Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles
Wednesday Food:
What's Cooking Wednesday @ Confessions of Overworked Mom, Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain ,  Wednesday Whatsit @White Lights on 
Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ Home Take 2, Seasonal Celebration @ Natural Mother's Network
Thursday Food:Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive, Creative Thursday @ Michelle's Tasty Creations, Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs
Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity, Tasty Thursdays @ The Mandatory Mooch, Thursday's Treasures @ Chocolate, Chocolate & more

Pin it Thursday @ Sweet Bella Roos, Freedom Friday @ My Turn

Friday Food:
Foodie Friday @ Home Maid Simple, Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home
Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes, Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm, Friday Food Fight @ Run DMT, 

Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts , Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club,

 The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog  Recipes, Fresh Bites Friday @ Real Food,

Heavenly Treats Sunday