Why does Chef Ramsay utilize initial blanching for Honey Glazed Carrots and Parsnips?

To achieve the perfect internal texture before the rapid glazing stage where sugars might scorch.

The initial blanching step serves as a critical pre-cooking mechanism specifically designed for the glazing process. Carrots are briefly cooked in boiling water until they are nearly tender. This step ensures that the vegetable's internal structure begins to soften under controlled, moist heat. If the blanched carrots were immediately introduced to the hot glaze, the high sugar concentration in the honey would rapidly burn and turn bitter before the center of the root vegetable had achieved adequate tenderness. This pre-softening separates a professional finish from amateur technique, where a burnt exterior often masks an undercooked core.