Chocolate Beetroot Brownies: You Have to Try This Recipe!

Ben and I decided to do a little experiment today and try out a Beetroot Chocolate Brownies recipe. The results were so yummy I felt I had to share the recipe. Over the past few weeks I have gotten beetroots in my vegetable box delivery so I thought it was time to get a bit more creative than pickling them and using them in various savoury dishes. I had come across some recipes for chocolate beetroot cake and brownies online and someone even recommended trying it on twitter but I have to say I wasn't completely convinced but I am so glad we gave them a go today. They are delicious!
The recipe I followed is a bit of a combination of a few recipes online as it was dependent on what I had in the kitchen cupboards so here it is:

Ingredients

• 4 medium sized whole raw beetroots 
• half a cup of sunflower oil
• 200g bar plain chocolate (70% cocoa)is the recommended amount but I only had about 120 g in total
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 100g plain flour
• 10g cocoa powder (I used Green & Blacks)
•  15g drinking chocolate (again Green & Blacks)

Method:

1.  Top and tail and peel the beetroots and cut them in to about 4 chunks each. Place in a bowl and cover with cling film. Then pop in the microwave for 12 minutes until they are tender. (Be careful removing the clingfilm as the steam is very hot - I managed to burn my finger).
2. Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 20 x 30cm baking tin (I use a silicone one so just give it a quick spray with Bake Easy spray). Chop the chocolate into rough chunks
3.  When the beetroot is cooked, drain and trip into a food processor along with the chocolate, oil and vanilla and whizz until as smooth as you can get it.
4. Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl, then beat using an electric hand whisk until thick, pale and foamy, about 2 mins. Spoon the beetroot mix into the bowl, then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the whisked eggs. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold these in to make a smooth batter. 
5. Pour into the prepared tin. The recommended time to bake it is for 25 mins but I left mine for about 40 minutes as when I tested it a few times with a toothpick it just wasn't ready. It is supposed to just have a slight quiver under the center of the crust when you shake the pan. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares (we couldn't wait for it to completely cool though :)).

So that is it. A simple scrummy recipe and a perfect way to get one of your five a day especially on a day you think a treat is in order. I totally recommend trying it and I bet no one will guess your secret ingredient!