Dark Chocolate Beetroot Brownies With Salt and Caramel Drizzle
25 mins + cooling 
16 squares 
It’s quite unconventional as a thought to use vegetables for sweet baking. We have experimented with a few alternatives, but nothing beats the combination of dark chocolate and beetroot. The root vegetables give these Dark Chocolate Beetroot Brownies a moist fudge texture, a rich dark red colour, as well as adding nutritious vitamins. We have added an extra twist to the traditional chocolate brownies recipe – ribbons of sweet and salty caramel drizzle. These dark chocolate beetroot brownies incorporates our finest 70% cacao solids from single-origin Food Thoughts Luxury Dark Chocolate Chips, making them the perfect adult indulgence. Perfect for a gluten-free diets as well.
Serve with a bit of sour cream to balance off perfectly the sweetness of the caramel and dark chocolate.
You will need
- FOR THE BROWNIES
- 110g Food Thoughts Luxury Dark Chocolate Chips
- 110g butter
- 1 medium sized raw beetroot, boiled and finely grated
- 110g caster sugar
- 3 medium eggs
- 75g Food Thoughts Organic Cacao Powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL DRIZZLE
- 30g granulated sugar
- 30g golden syrup
- 15g butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 30ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra for decoration
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / Fan 160°C / 350F / Gas 4.
Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin and set to one side.
FOR THE BROWNIES: Melt the chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water (or warm them up in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals), then add the butter. Stir until melted, then remove from the heat to cool slightly.
Boil the beetroot for approximately 15-20 minutes or until tender. Peel away the skin and finely grate, removing any excess moisture.
Next, pour the chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the caster sugar, eggs, Cacoa Powder, grated beetroot and vanilla extract. Whisk until evenly combined.
Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the oven for approximately 18-20 minutes or until firm on top. The brownies should still be slightly soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before turning out on to a wire rack. Slice into 16 squares.
FOR THE DRIZZLE: Melt the sugar, syrup, butter and vanilla extract in a small pan over a gentle heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until evenly blended, then add the cream.
Turn up the heat slightly and watch the mixture begin to thicken and turn a rich golden colour (approximately 8-10 minutes). Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt, stir then remove from the heat to cool. This can be made in advance and briefly warmed prior to drizzling over the brownies.
Using a fork liberally drizzle the caramel over each brownie and finally sprinkle with a few additional sea salt flakes. If the caramel begins to firm up, simply place in the microwave for a few seconds and repeat the process.
Top Tip: The easiest way to cook and grate the beetroot is to cut it in half before boiling, then hold it with a fork to peel and grate, particularly if it’s still warm. You can either mash or dispose of the last bit attached to the fork.
