7. Moist Chocolate Beet Cake:
You Will Need:
8 ounces of fresh beets
7 ounces of fine dark chocolate
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons of butter
1 cup+ 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
¼ cup of hot espresso
3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
5 eggs
1 cup of superfine sugar
Crème Fraiche to serve
How To:
Butter an 8-inch cake pan and line the base with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cook the whole beets in water for 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and let them cook under water.
Now peel and slice the beets and puree in a food processor.
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. When it has melted completely, pour hot espresso over it.
Chop butter into pieces and add to the melted chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes.
In another bowl, sift together cocoa, baking powder and flour.
Separate egg yolk from the egg, adds the egg yolk to the chocolate and beat well. Now add the beets.
Now gently add the whisked egg white and sugar to the chocolate mixture.
Lastly, fold in the cocoa and flour mixture.
Transfer the mixture to the cake pan and bake for 40 minutes.
Serve the cake with crème Fraiche.
8. Pasta In Beet Sauce:
You Will Need:
3 medium-sized beets, cleaned and diced
3 sprigs thyme
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of vermouth
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, more for garnishing
1 teaspoon of sugar
¼ cup cream or milk
½ pound of pasta
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Mint leaves, for garnishing
How To:
On a baking sheet, toss the beets with one tablespoon of oil, salt, pepper and thyme sprigs and roast for 40 minutes.
Transfer the beets to the food processor jar and add balsamic vinegar, vermouth, half cheese and two tablespoons of oil to it. Pulse until you get a smooth puree.
Transfer the beet to a saucepan and add cream and stock into it. Bring it to a simmer and add sugar, a pinch and remaining cheese to it. Simmer on the medium to low heat.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions and add to the sauce. Season and cook for a minute.
Garnish with mint leaves and serve.
