Fudgy Beet Brownies
As with zucchini bread and carrot cake, these beet brownies are a sweet dessert that are also chock full of a vitamin- and mineral-rich vegetable. They’re super moist, fudgey, and chocolatey brownies, and even the most vegetable-averse among us won’t be able to resist!
Fudgy Beet Brownies
Yields 12
Ingredients:
- 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 8 oz beets, cooked, peeled, and drained*
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-processed**
- 1/8 tsp salt, optional
Ingredient notes:
*If you plan to use canned beets for this recipe, you may want to leave out the additional salt. Canned beets contain enough salt needed for this recipe. But if you’re using fresh beet puree, add in the 1/8 tsp as written above.
**Conflicted about using natural vs. Dutch-processed cocoa powder? For this particular recipe, either powder will produce a tasty brownie. The Readers Digest version of cocoa powders goes like this: The difference between both powders begins with the acidity naturally found in chocolate. “Natural” processed cocoa powder retains those acids naturally found in the cocoa bean, leaving you with a more floral, slightly tart chocolate flavor. “Dutch-processed” cocoa beans have been washed in a potassium solution to neutralize their acidity. The result is a more mellow, creamy, deeper chocolate flavor. Both cocoa powders are delicious and in recipes where a leavening agent (baking soda and powder) is not necessary (like this one), the decision to use one vs. the other really just comes down to the baker’s preference. It’s not until when leavening agents are used when these two powders become less interchangeable. But that is for another day and another recipe.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 8×8 baking dish. Purée beets until smooth and set aside. In small bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa, and salt (if using) and set aside. In a saucepan over low heat, melt 6 oz of the chocolate along with the butter and sugar. Remove from heat, pour into large mixing bowl, and cool slightly. Stir beets into the melted chocolate mixture. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter and combine thoroughly. Mix in the remaining 3 oz chocolate pieces. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 28-30 minutes, until the center is set. Cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!
