After savory Mackerel and Beet Nicoise recipe from Kitchen and Co (Kyle Books USA, 2013) by French and Grace, let's take a look at sweet side of the duo.
Chocolate,
Orange, and Beet Brownies, the Perfect Match
The concept of using the natural juices
of root veg to keep a cake moist and sweet is nothing groundbreaking, so we won’t
bang on about how clever it is. We will just say that these brownies have been
met with rapture by even the staunchest of beet deriders. Orange is a good
friend of both beets and chocolate, and all of the flavors combine to make one
hell of a good brownie.
Makes 1 large baking pan
3 small uncooked beets
9 ounces good-quality unsweetened
chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
3 free-range eggs
Zest of 1 orange and juice of 1/2
1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
Crème fraîche, to serve
Boil up your beets until tender to the
point of a knife, about 30 minutes, then let cool enough to peel. In a food
processor or blender, blend to a purée and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease
and line a large baking pan at least 3/4-inch deep.
Break the chocolate into pieces and place
in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Add the butter
in cubes and let melt, stirring once or twice.
In another bowl, beat the sugar with the
eggs until smooth and creamy. Stir in the melted chocolate, orange zest and
juice, and puréed beet, then sift in the flour and stir until combined.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for
15 to 20 minutes.
If you plan to reheat the brownies before
serving, stick to 15 minutes, or even less if you like a gooey brownie! Serve with
crème fraîche.
(Recipe from Kitchen & Co. by French & Grace- Kyle Books USA, 2013- Photo: Laura Edwards)