Baking

Flourless chocolate beetroot cake

This spectacular cake is topped with sweetened crème fraîche and candied beetroot chips.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE beetroot cake
12
1H 40M

Ingredients

Candied beetroot
Sweetened crème fraîche

Method

1.Cook beetroot in a small saucepan of boiling water for 45 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process beetroot and reserved liquid until smooth. You should have 1 cup beetroot purée.
2.Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F. Grease a 22cm (9-inch) springform pan; line base and side with baking paper.
3.Stir chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.
4.Whisk eggs, extract, sugar and ground hazelnuts in a large bowl until combined. Add chocolate mixture and beetroot purée; whisk to combine. Pour mixture into pan; cover with foil.
5.Bake cake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until cooked around the edge with a slight wobble in the centre. Lift up edge of foil to release steam. Refrigerate cake for at least 3 hours or overnight.
6.Make candied beetroot. Stir sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Add beetroot; cook for 20 minutes or until beetroot slices become slightly translucent and syrup thickens. Using two forks, transfer beetroot from syrup to a baking-paper-lined oven tray to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the syrup; stir in juice.
7.To make sweetened crème fraîche, whisk ingredients together in a small bowl until soft peaks form.
8.Place cake on a platter; dust cake edges with cocoa. Spread top of cake with sweetened crème fraîche. Top with candied beetroot and drizzle with reserved syrup.

Use a mandoline or V-slicer to slice the beetroot into thin rounds for candying. They are available from kitchen stores and Asian supermarkets. DO-AHEAD: The cake and candied beetroot can be made a day ahead. Store separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Note

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