Beetroot, Chocolate and Ginger Cookies

I was intrigued when I came across this recipe online from food stylist Kate Wesson, having enjoyed chocolate beetroot brownies from our local farmers market some weeks ago, so I gave it a try.

It met with resounding approval from all my family and King of the Hill requested it again a week later, a first for him regarding any vegetable-based cookie or cake so far, so I thought that I would share it with you.

First I pulled up a smallish beetroot from the garden, and scrubbed it and grated it. I used dairy-free spread instead of butter, making the recipe dairy-free, and while the spelt flour means it is not entirely gluten-free, it is suitable for many diets that avoid processed wheat flours. Presumably the spelt flour could be replaced by one of the many completely gluten-free flours or flour mixes for similar results if required.

Ingredients

1 cup spelt flour

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup good quality dark chocolate chopped into small chunks

2 tbsp butter/dairy-free spread

1/2 cup brown sugar (I used soft light brown sugar)

1 small beetroot grated

1 egg and 2 egg whites

3 tbsp chopped stem ginger

15-20 pecans (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 175˚C/350˚F ( I set the fan oven to 165˚C )
Cream together the butter and sugar (using a mixer where available)
Combine spelt flour, cocoa powder, ground ginger, baking powder and salt in a bowl

Add the spelt mixture to the creamed sugar and combine thoroughly
Whisk the egg and egg whites until frothy
Add the whisked eggs to the flour mixture and fold in
Add the grated beetroot, chocolate chunks and stem ginger and fold in
Spoon tbsp mounds on to baking trays lined with baking parchment, allowing a little room for spread. (The mixture is a vivid raspberry pink, very unusual!)

Optionally, top each cookie with a pecan. I did this the first time, but forgot the second.
Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Not possessing any cup measures, both times that I have made these the cup-based quantities have probably been a little variable, but have still resulted in lovely cookies with a soft cake-like crumb. They have a wonderful vibrant pink-tinged chocolate colour, and when eaten warm from the oven the pools of molten chocolate are rather exquisite; when cooled the solid chunks are equally compelling. The ginger adds some gentle heat to them; these flavours all work really well together.

Let me know how you get on if you do try this recipe yourself; I highly recommend it.