Beetroots

They are warm in both color and taste. Sweet, earthy and really beautiful. There are three different varieties always available at the markets here in Southern California. The golden beet with its orange color, the red beet with its dark, purple red meat and the chioggia which is a white red striped beet.

A few days ago I used all three different varieties in a beet salad with walnut and rye bread crumbles and a buttermilk, sheep ricotta foam. Roasted the red and orange beet and left the chioggia raw to show off its amazing beauty.

I was left with lots of red beet. Once I saw a brownie recipe from Georgina Fuggle, who is a British chef, and she used beet in her brownies. So I thought to give it a try, because I really love brownies. There is nothing different than in any other brownies, except for adding grated beets. It turned out really good. In certain spots you can actually taste the beets, and it is a really rich, gooey yummy brownie.

I made a small portion, as you can see in this loaf tin. Because of the richness of the brownie I think this is easily good for 6-8 portions. Especially if you follow my lead and serve it with an eggnog (or vanilla) ice cream and a caramel sauce 🙂

Ingredients for the above size:

• 4.5 oz good quality 70% dark chocolate
• 3.5 oz unsalted butter
• 2 tsp of instant good quality espresso coffee
• 1/4 lb cleaned, grated raw red beetroot (about 2 smaller ones)
• 2 eggs, beaten to very good foamy state
• 7 oz caster sugar
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 pinch of salt

Instructions

• Heat oven to 360 F.
• Butter a loaf tin, line it with parchment and butter the parchment too.
• Melt dark chocolate, coffee granulates and butter on low heat, very gently.
• When completely melted, mix in grated beets, sugar and well beaten eggs.
• Sift in flour and cocoa powder and a pinch of salt
• Combine very well.
• Pour batter into the tin.
• Place on middle rack in the oven.
• Turn down heat to 350F after about 5 minutes.
• Bake for approximately 30 minutes, but keep checking. Exterior should be crunchy, inside gooey.
• Let it cool completely in the tin.
• Serve it with eggnog ice cream and caramel sauce for the holidays 🙂 or just with fresh red fruits. The first version will be a pretty heavy dessert option.

TIP:    You can make caramel sauce by caramelizing cane sugar in a heavy bottom pan, and adding heavy cream to it and melting them together. Or just simply adding brown sugar to heavy cream, bringing all to a boil and cook it for a little while.