Beetroot & Chocolate Brownies

There are some combination of foods that I've shied away from in the past.  One is chilli with chocolate with other is beetroot with chocolate (and another was courgette in a cake - I tried this last year and gave it a big thumbs up).  When my neighbour gave me two big buckets of unwanted beetroot, Ben sourced a simple Beetroot & Chocolate Brownie recipe from the BBC Good Food site for me to try.  They are delicious - moist and slightly pink with the tiniest hint of beetroot that gave them a lovely down-to-earth taste.

500g whole raw beetroot (approx 400g once peeled)
100g unsalted butter or baking margarine
200g bar plain chocolate (70% cocoa, although we always use the store's own cheapo version)
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
100g plain flour
25g cocoa powder

Microwave, food processor or blender and electric hand whisk are also needed.

Peel the beetroot, slice the top and bottoms off and roughly chop (you'll need about 400g).  Place in a large microwaveable bowl, add a splash of water, cover with cling film and microwave on High for about 12 minutes or until tender.

Heat oven to 180C/16C fan/gas 4.  Grease and line a traybake (about 20x30cm).  Roughly chop the chocolate and cut butter/marg into cubes.  Tip the cooked beetroot into a sieve (be careful, the bowl, if glass, will be very hot) to drain off any liquid.  Place the beetroot, together with the chocolate, butter/marg and vanilla extract into a food processor or blender.  Whizz until it all turns smooth.

Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until thick, pale and foamy (about 2 mins).  Spoon the beetroot mixture into the bowl then use a large metal spoon to fold it into the egg mixture, trying to keep as much air in the mix as possible.  Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and gently fold these in too to make a smooth batter.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for about 25 mins or until well risen all over with a little quiver under the centre of the crust when you shake the tin!  Cool completely in the tin then cut into squares.