I didn’t invent the idea of baking with vegetables. After all, zucchini bread and carrot cake have been around since the middle ages or something like that. Yet somehow, beets in chocolate cake seem pretty far-fetched.
Think about it this way: Beets become super sweet when they roast. And if you grate the beet fine enough, you won’t even notice them in the torte. In fact, they add depth to the chocolate by giving a little hint of earthiness.
Now, a chocolate beet cake isn’t exactly new either, but my torte twist reinvents this to an even more decadently dense and healthy dessert by eliminating the butter. The result is so rich, moist and mousse-like, you’ll only need a tiny piece. The golden beet sweet reduction sauce offers sweetness with a colorful punch of nutrients. Our ancestors knew something about vegetables: Hide them in baked goods! Listen to your elders. You and your loved ones will be nutritiously Fat and Happy with Chocolate Beet Mousse Torte!
Chocolate Beet Mousse Torte with Golden Beet Reduction
- 2 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
- 1 egg
- 2 egg whites
- 1 Tbls sugar
- 2 Tbls cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp coffee beans, ground super fine
- 1 cup beets, raw (2 small red or golden beets)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
Peel and clean the beet. Grate the beets using the finest grater available. Place the gated beets, water, and sugar in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until the beets are completely tender.
In the meantime, whip the 2 egg whites with one tablespoon of sugar using electric hand beater or mixer and set aside. Whip the remaining egg until pale and fluffy.
Melt the chocolate (either in a double broiler or in the microwave being careful not to burn it). Add the whipped egg, the coffee grinds, and the cocoa powder and mix. Strain the beets, reserve the liquid, add beets, and one tablespoon of the beet liquid to the chocolate and mix.
Gently fold in half of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture and then fold in the second half. Pour batter into a buttered spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. This torte is so moist you won’t be able to test doneness with a toothpick. Lightly touch the top. If it doesn’t leave a full dent, the cake is done.
While the cake is baking, place the reserved beet juice in small sauce pan. Simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Remove from the oven and cool. Remove the sides of the spring form pan. Drizzle each piece with the sweet beet sauce. Add a dusting of powder sugar if desired by placing a few tablespoons into a sifter and lightly tap the sifter with the heel of your hand.
Tips and Techniques: You can use red or yellow beets here. Both will “hide” in the chocolate and make a lovely colored reduction.
For more recipes, go to Monique’s blog: http://fatandhappyblog.blogspot.com/