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.
Ingredients1 cup spelt flour2 tbsp cocoa powder1 tsp ground ginger1 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp salt1/2 cup good quality dark chocolate chopped into small chunks2 tbsp butter/dairy-free spread1/2 cup brown sugar (I used soft light brown sugar)1 small beetroot grated1 egg and 2 egg whites3 tbsp chopped stem ginger15-20 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.
You’re entering a new field here, Sara! More please…
Ah thanks Mark. I posted a handful of recipes last summer when the harvests were rolling in too, mostly courgette cakes/bread and a pumpkin curry.
Oooh, pretty! I make chocolate brownies with beetroot occasionally, but these look too good to not try. Mind you, TNG won’t like them because of the beetroot, FIL won’t like them because of the beetroot (though he does like my beetroot hummus, so I might get away with it) and MIL hates ginger. I can’t eat them all… Agh! Maybe I’ll try them… I want to try them… But I am supposed to be losing weight, not gaining it, and if I eat all these myself…
Ah yes I know that feeling. They’re not too sweet though, with relatively healthy ingredients, and isn’t ginger supposed to be a good digestion aid or appetite suppressant? And good dark chocolate is good for the heart 😉
You may get away with them for the non-beetroot eaters as I’m not sure that the flavour is obvious, though you may want to shred it finer to help disguise it! Both batches I made disappeared pretty fast. You could always take them up to your allotment to sweeten up your fellow allottees…
Are these particularly ginger-y? I have never got on with the chocolate ginger combination. I find it a little weird.
Yes the ginger is probably the strongest flavour in these. You could try scaling back the stem and/or ground ginger, or even leaving both out entirely and see how it turns out if you are not a fan…
mmm, they look lovely (and chewy?).
I made beetroot and chocolate muffins once and they were a lovely and moist – and most people didn’t guess what was in them despite the purplish hue!
http://nipitinthebud.wordpress.com/2010/12/12/5-ways-with-a-ton-of-beetroot/
Slightly cakey in texture though not quite chewy… your muffins look great too, shall have to give them a try one of these days!
Those cookies have an amazing color. Such an interesting flavor concept. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog and I’d love it if you’d come by and link your cookies up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/08/sweets-for-saturday-29.html