Dark Chocolate and Beetroot (Beet) Mudcake

I have tried chocolate and beetroot cakes in the past but this one is by far the best. This is not too rich, heavy or sweet and both the texture and flavour are perfect. This recipe is by Gretchen Lowe and Homestyle Magazine, April/May edition.

This uses 250 g of pureed beetroot and I will be cooking some up to keep in the freezer for future cakes. The icing I used was a normal chocolate butter icing (a cheaper option for me) but I will give the recipe for the chocolate ganache she used.

200g Dark chocolate (at least 62% cocoa)

4 tblspns hot espresso

200g butter

135 g flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp cocoa

5 eggs, separated

250 g cooked and peeled beetroot, pureed

190 g castor sugar (this can be made by putting normal white sugar through a blender)

GANACHE:

400g dark chocolate

400ml cream

ALTERNATIVE CHOCOLATE ICING:

50 g butter softened

1 tablespoon cocoa

little boiling water

1 tsp vanilla

approx 2 cups icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Line a 20 cm cake tin with baking paper.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan. Then pour in hot coffee and stir in the butter, leaving till softened. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Meanwhile sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl.

Separate the eggs and whisk yolks until frothy. Stir the yolks through chocolate mixture then fold in pureed beetroot.

Whisk whites till soft peaks form. Fold in sugar. Fold into and through the chocolate mixture then fold this mixture into the combined dry ingredients.

Pour batter into prepared tin and bake 35 minutes. Do not over-bake.

When cooked leave to cool before turning out of tin to decorate. When cold the cake can be cut into two layers.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

Place chocolate into a bowl. Heat the cream till nearly boiling then pour over chocolate, stirring gently till combined. Leave a room temperature till ganache has reached a spreadable consistency. Smooth generously between the layers and around the sides of cake. Cake can be topped with fresh berries or figs.

CHOCOLATE ICING:

Melt butter, add cocoa and vanilla. Add icing sugar and beat into a thick cream, adding boiling water as required to make a soft consistency. Icing will firm on cooling.

I made in a larger tin so only had one layer. Nice served with whipped cream.

 

 

 

Chocolate Fudgy Balls….using leftover cake

I made brownies the other day that didn’t get all eaten before they went a little dry. I decided to try this and am so pleased with the results, they are perfect. It’s a perfect way to use leftover chocolate cake (or maybe one that turned out not quite satisfactory)

Quantities don’t matter here, just keep adding fruit until the mixture forms a firm mass.

Put broken up chocolate cake into a food processor and whiz until it’s crumbs. Add raisins, chopped dates, cranberries etc….I used around 1 1/2 cups fruit, and process till crumbly. Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of melted coconut oil (or butter) and process again. Throw in some coconut and just pulse till mixed. Roll into balls and chill.

I only had enough coconut to add a little but would’ve like to have rolled these in it. OR topped with melted chocolate would’ve been nice 🙂

Note there are not many left!!

Chocolate Brownie….a healthier version

This is nice, rich and has a nice texture, but it’s not as sweet or chewy as traditional brownies. I think next time I would use butter as the original recipe suggested, instead of coconut oil (I have had some sitting in the fridge for ages that needed using but won’t be buying any more) just for a bit more buttery texture. And I’ll put chocolate bits in….I thought about it lol. The original recipe is at http://www.beyondthepeel.net/2013/06/unbelievable-chocolate-coconut-brownies.html I replaced the sugar with date sugar and used walnuts instead of coconut.

1/2 cup coconut oil or butter

1/3 cup cocoa

6 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup date sugar

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut flour

pinch salt

3/4 cup walnuts

Line an 8″ square tin and preheat oven to 325 deg. Melt coconut oil. Whisk the wet ingredients together till well blended. Mix the flour, cocoa and walnuts together then pour over wet ingredients and mix well to combine. Spread into greased tin and bake around 20 minutes or till cooked but still soft.

Cool for 5 minutes and sprinkle with icing sugar. Slice into squares.