June 22, 2020
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With the cooler days knocking, I feel the need for something decadent and rich to accompany my afternoon tea. This not-too-sweet brownie is complemented with earthy beetroot and pops of smoky tart prunes. Chopped walnuts would also make a nice addition – add ½ cup along with the prunes.
I have had some requests for dairy-free baking so this recipe can be made with either olive oil or melted butter. We particularly liked the olive oil version as it was denser and complimented the earthiness of the beetroot.
Chocolate, Prune & Beetroot Brownie
Note: it is important to finely grate the beetroot rather than coarsely grate (standard sized grater holes) so the raw beetroot softens into the cooked brownie crumb. If you don't have this option on your grater, then finely chop the beetroot after coarsely grating.
Ingredients
- 200 g good quality dark chocolate
- 150 ml olive oil or use 150g melted butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar or liquid sweetener such as rice malt syrup
- ½ cup (80g) standard white flour (can use gluten-free flour)
- ½ cup (50g) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup (80g) pitted prunes, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup (120g) finely grated* raw beetroot, loosely packed
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170C. Line a 20 x 25 baking tin with baking paper.
- Place the chocolate, olive oil or butter and sugar into a saucepan. Heat over a low heat until melted, stirring often. Remove from the heat.
- Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and chopped prunes in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the melted chocolate mixture, add the grated beetroot and stir to combine. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well with each addition until a silky smooth batter is formed.
- Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm to touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Serve the brownie warm or cold. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 4 days.
