Hi Everyone!

This is just a quick post of the recipe of my final project dessert at Matthew Kenney Culinary. I have just finished the course, and this dessert, which my husband found so amazingly good, is definitely worth a quick post here, because Valentine Day is coming… And some of you might want to make something, that is stunning, delicious, decadent, and leaves your body light after eating it….. you know, for the rest of the night 🙂

So here it is.

Beet brownie

Walnut / Chantilly / Kumquat

This dessert has more components, you decide which parts you want to add . The beet brownie itself is rich, relatively sweet, chocolate-y.  The chantilly cream goes really well with it, the sauce adds some bright fruity flavor and the kumquat chips, which are my favorites deliver crunch, tartness, so a bit of a punch.

Beet brownie

• 1 C walnuts (+1 Tbsp chopped to mix in)
• 1 C soft medjool date
• 3 Tbsp cacao powder
• 1 tbsp cacao nibs
• 3 Tbsp grated, dried beet. If you have no time to dry in the dehydrator, make sure you squeeze it very well with a paper towel
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Combine ingredients  (except for 1 Tbsp of the walnut, grated beet and the cocoa nibs) in a food processor until sticky and still has a bit of texture. Do not blend to smooth.  Blend in leftover cocoa nibs, grated beet and chopped walnuts.  Transfer dough into a tin, press it down and refrigerate.

For the ganache

• 1/2 C dark agave
• 3 Tbsp  melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup raw caco powder
• pinch of salt

Mix agave well with coconut oil and slowly mix in cacao powder, constantly stirring until fully incorporated. Spread ganache evenly on top of chilled brownie and put back in the fridge, or freezer so it cools really well so you will be able to cut. It is a soft brownie so you need proper cooling.

Chantilly cream

Blend all the wet ingredients except for coconut oil until smooth. Gradually add coconut oil to emulsify. Keep it in fridge and either pipe, or simply scoop for plating.

Kumquat chips

Slice kumquats starting at both ends. Kumquat has the seeds in the middle of the fruit. If you slice them from both ends, you will be left with the middle part with the seeds which you can use for the puree.

Place kumquat slices on the mesh sheet and dehydrate overnight, until crispy.

Kumquat, blood orange puree

• 1/4C chopped kumquat
• 2-3 Tbps blood orange juice
• 1 tsp coconut nectar
• 1 T lemon juice

Blend kumquat with orange juice and coconut nectar until smooth.  Put in dehydrator for an hour. It will thicken, without actual cooking. Before serving push it through a mash strainer if you want a really smooth texture.

To plate put some kumquat puree on the plate, place small brownie cubes, alternated with Chantilly cream on the puree and decorate with lots of kumquat chips.

ENJOY!