If you’re ready to move beyond the usual honey-roasted carrots this Christmas, these confit baby carrots in brown butter with hazelnut crumb and lemon-thyme honey are an elegant upgrade. Slow-cooking the carrots in brown butter makes them unbelievably tender, with a deep, nutty richness you just don’t get from roasting alone. Finished with a crunchy hazelnut topping and a bright drizzle of lemon-thyme honey, they’re the kind of side dish that feels special but is surprisingly simple to make - the perfect way to add something a little more interesting to your festive table this year.
Number of servings: 2-3
Cooking time: 1 hour
Preparation time: 1 hour
Ingredients
For the Carrot Confit:
500g baby carrots, peeled
150g unsalted butter
4 sprigs fresh lemon thyme
3 garlic clove, lightly crushed
Salt, to taste
For the Hazelnut Crumb:
50g hazelnuts, toasted
25g Japanese panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp brown butter (from confit)
1 tbsp lemon zest
Pinch of salt
For the Thyme Honey:
3 tbsp honey
1 sprig fresh lemon thyme
To finish:
Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish
Method
Confit the Baby Carrots:
In a Season Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Frying Pan 22cm, melt the butter over medium heat until it begins to brown and smells nutty (about 4–5 minutes). Watch carefully - don’t burn it!
Let the butter cool slightly, then add the baby carrots, crushed garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs, turning everything so the carrots are well coated.
Transfer the pan to a preheated 130°C oven and cook for at least 30 minutes, or until the carrots are completely tender when pierced with a paring knife.
Before plating, transfer the carrots to a piece of kitchen towel to blot away any excess butter, then sprinkle a pinch of salt to taste.
Prepare the Hazelnut Crumb:
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Toast the hazelnuts in the oven for 5–7 minutes until golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop.
In a small frying pan, add the panko breadcrumbs, chopped hazelnuts, and two tablespoons of the browned butter from the confit carrots. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until everything turns golden, fragrant, and crisp - about 2–3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir through the lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Make the Thyme Honey:
In a small saucepan, gently warm the honey with a sprig of lemon thyme over low heat for 3–4 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to infuse while you cook the carrots.
Assemble the Dish:
Arrange the confit carrots on a serving platter or individual plates.
Sprinkle generously with the hazelnut crumb.
Drizzle lightly with the thyme-infused honey.
Garnish with fresh thyme leaves for aroma and presentation.
