Method
Put the carrots in a pot cover and with water. Cover with a damp piece of greaseproof paper and bring to the boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the carrots are soft, then transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Pass the purée through a sieve back into the pan, then cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the excess juice has evaporated. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
For the fondant centres, heat the double cream to boiling point. Put the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl, pour the hot cream on to the chocolate, mixing well until smooth. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the reduced carrot purée, then transfer to a small plastic container and freeze until firm. Reserve the remaining carrot purée for later.
Remove the white chocolate and carrot mix from the freezer to soften slightly. Scoop out 8 balls of the mix with a melon baller. Put them on a plate lined with cling film and put in the freezer while you make the sponge mixture.
Butter 8 dariole moulds. Slowly melt the white chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot water, then take off the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale, thick and tripled in volume. Fold in the melted white chocolate and butter, followed by 140g of carrot purée. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold in using a large metal spoon. Divide half of the mixture between the dariole moulds and place a chilled fondant centre ball on top.
Cover with the remaining sponge mixture, until. Serve the fondants in the ramekin dishes or turn them out on to plates if you have used dariole moulds. Dust with icing sugar and serve straight away with orange or dark chocolate sorbet.
Preheat the oven to
Bake the fondants for 10-12 minutes at 180C/Gas 4.They should be well risen and have formed a firm crust. The middle should still be slightly runny.