Beetroot brownies

Beetroot brownies

With around half the fat of regular brownies, these are a slightly less guilty pleasure, but still have that intense chocolate hit

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Makes 15-20

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Plus cooling
Freezable

Method

  1. Wear a pair of rubber gloves to stop your hands from staining, then top, tail and peel the beetroot - you'll need about 400g flesh. Roughly chop and put into a large bowl. Add a splash of water, cover with cling film, then microwave on High for 12 mins or until tender.
  2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. While the beetroot cooks, butter then line a 20 x 30cm traybake or small roasting tin. Roughly chop the chocolate and cut the butter into cubes. Tip the cooked beetroot into a sieve, drain off any excess liquid, then put into a food processor or blender with the chocolate, butter and vanilla. Whizz until the mix is as smooth as you can get it. The chocolate and butter will melt as you do this.
  3. 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 (it won't look too pretty at this stage, but bear with me), then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the whisked eggs. Try to conserve as much air in the mixture as you can. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold these in to make a smooth batter.
  4. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25 mins or until risen all over, with just the merest quiver under the centre of the crust when you shake the pan. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.
Try

No microwave?

If you don't have a microwave, boil the whole, unpeeled beetroot until tender (leaving the skins on prevents them from becoming waterlogged), then peel and use as above. For a real cheat, use 400g ready-cooked beetroot - just be sure to buy the type without vinegar!

Per serving

255 kcalories, protein 4.0g, carbohydrate 32.0g, fat 13.0 g, saturated fat 7.0g, fibre 2.0g, sugar 24.0g, salt 0.11 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo VB Recipes

    21 August 2010

    VB Recipes commented on this recipe

    Hmmm, well I made these for the novelty value and to see if there was finally a way I'd eat Beetroot.... Everyone else who ate them LOVED them, even after they were told what was in them, but for me... I could still taste that delightful soily beetroot once your mouthful was gone! However they disappeared like hotcakes so everyone else enjoyed them! Beautifully moist, easy to make for everyone else I'll give it a 3* rating!

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  • Binder photo pinkie

    21 August 2010

    pinkie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These are fabulous;moist, rich and faintly earthy. I doubted that the chocolate would melt in the heat of the boiled beetroot, but it did. Very easy to make and very easy to eat too. Had with creme fraiche for pudding. Will become a regular.

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  • Binder photo Boycey

    23 August 2010

    Boycey commented on this recipe

    These are the best brownies I have ever eaten, so moist and moorish. If anyone is wary of the beetroot, I can only say it enhances the chocolate flavour beautifully and leaves you wanting more. Definitely a family favourite with a cuppa tea!

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  • Binder photo janet

    25 August 2010

    janet rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    So easy to make and very moist I grated the beetroot as I felt it was too coarse the first time when it was put in the food processor. Would make again

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  • Binder photo smartie

    25 August 2010

    smartie rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Very popular with our visitors and family. I didn't weigh the beetroot and used too much - result, very moist brownies. Would ceratinly make again

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  • Binder photo Pettle

    27 August 2010

    Pettle commented on this recipe

    Very nice - different but nice. Kids hoovered them up warmed with mint choc chip ice cream!

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  • Binder photo MillGreen

    29 August 2010

    MillGreen rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    These are gorgeous - even give you pink finger tips

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  • Binder photo Minty

    29 August 2010

    Minty commented on this recipe

    I've never liked beetroot but for some reason these brownies appealed to me! I don't have a microwave so boiled them as per the instructions and the brownies turned out perfectly. They are really moist and chocolatey. I gave some to my parents to try and neither of them guessed what was in them, and my mum is one of the worlds biggest beetroot lovers. I'm now a beetroot-convert!

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  • Binder photo Helensfolder

    30 August 2010

    Helensfolder commented on this recipe

    I was really pleased with these, wonderfully soft and moist in the middle with a slight pink tinge to them. They disappeared quickly when I took them into work. Some of my colleagues could taste the beetroot, others couldn't, but they were a big hit and I'd definitely make them again. I've been really pleased with the veg/cake recipes I've done - both the choc courgette cake and the lemon drizzle/courgette cake also turned out really well.

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  • Binder photo Claire

    30 August 2010

    Claire rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Used beetroot grown by my daughter. We followed the recipe exactly and enjoyed moist, rich chocolate Brownies, first as a teatime treat, then with ice cream for pudding.

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  • Binder photo Sunshine

    01 September 2010

    Sunshine rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Gorgeous. Think i would take Janets advice, and grate the beetroot next time before putting in the food processor. These were really moist and chocolatey. Lovely on their own or heated up with custard. yum :-) will be making these again

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  • Binder photo JWalker

    02 September 2010

    JWalker rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

    I followed the recipe exactly but the brownies were moist to the point of sogginess. Everybody who ate them thought the beetroot flavour overpowered the chocolate and the colour was very pronounced so picky kids were immediately wary of what they were eating. I love beetroot and was hoping for a healthy lower fat alternative to brownies but I was really disappointed in this and ended up throwing two thirds of it away because nobody would eat it.

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  • Binder photo Lucy

    05 September 2010

    Lucy rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    These are delicious brownies - the batch I made with beetroot from my garden came out really moist and you would not know they were so much lower in fact. Will definitely make these again!

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  • Binder photo BeaMuffin

    08 September 2010

    BeaMuffin rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These brownies turned out perfect, I will definitely make them again!

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  • Binder photo ejt

    09 September 2010

    ejt rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

    Absolutely foul. This is the first recipe I've used from here that hasn't gone as planned: followed the recipe exactly, but they were just awful. I tried them for quality control, had to spit them out - husband tasted them, and managed to swallow a mouthful - the rest went in the bin. Not one I'll be repeating! Shame, as I really, really wanted them to work!

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  • Binder photo Iona Ann

    10 September 2010

    Iona Ann rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    We felt this was more of a pudding than a cake, best served slightly warm,with ice-cream to cut through some of the richness. However, my teenage son loved them, and there were certainly no complaints from anyone else!

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  • Binder photo SarahBlevins

    21 September 2010

    SarahBlevins commented on this recipe

    OMG!!! These were so delicious. You couldnt taste the beetroot at all. They went down a storm at work. Will definately make them again

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  • Binder photo SarahBlevins

    21 September 2010

    SarahBlevins rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Nicola

    26 September 2010

    Nicola rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Yummy, the best and easiest brownies ever. Nobody could taste the beetroot even when I told them about the secret ingredient. Will defo make again soon, delish.

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  • Binder photo Alyson S

    26 September 2010

    Alyson S rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Very nice and chocolatey - you can't really taste the beetroot but it makes them moist. Beetroot messy to prepare though and the whole kitchen is now pink!

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Makes 15-20

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Plus cooling
Freezable

Ingredients

  • 500g whole raw beetroot (3-4 medium beets)
  • 100g unsalted butter , plus extra for the tin
  • 200g bar plain chocolate (70% cocoa)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250g golden caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 100g plain flour
  • 25g cocoa powder
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Per serving

255 kcalories, protein 4.0g, carbohydrate 32.0g, fat 13.0 g, saturated fat 7.0g, fibre 2.0g, sugar 24.0g, salt 0.11 g

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