A bit lighter, a bit richer, and secretly a bit purple, these brownies have hidden beetroot to keep them moist and provide a clever veggie twist.

Ingredients 

(makes 15)

• 1 large beet
• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose white flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting

Directions 

(Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 1 ¼ hours)

1. Place the whole beet in a saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch square cake pan and line the base and sides with parchment paper. Then, grease the paper.
3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring frequently and ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Alternatively, melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave on full power for 1½–2 minutes until the butter has melted; then leave to stand until the chocolate has melted, too.
4. Rub away the skin from the cooled beetroot; trim off the ends and finely grate the flesh.
5. Put the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat together with a hand-held electric mixer until light and foamy. Then, stir in the beet and melted chocolate mixture.
6. Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture; stir to mix. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and level the top. Bake the brownies for 25–30 minutes, or until just firm to the touch and a slight crust has formed. Leave to cool in the pan.

• Dust with cocoa powder; cut into 15 squares and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Purple finger fix tip: If you have purple fingers after grating the beet, simply rub some lemon juice and salt into your fingers. Then wash them with cold water to get them back to your normal hue.

Courtesy of Ella’s Kitchen: The Big Baking Book, 2014; photo courtesy of Jonathan Cherry.

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