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For this recipe, I took inspiration from London’s River Cafe’s legendary “Chocolate Nemesis” cake to show that you can really use anything from beetroot – with delicious results. As in the River Cafe recipe, this cake is irresistibly chocolaty, but the beets give it a deep, dark red color and a fascinating depth of flavor.
I first made it for a food rescue banquet I co-hosted with others in 2011, and it’s still one of my favorites today. At the event we The Forgotten Feast called, we transformed a warehouse belonging to FareShare, the UK’s largest food distribution charity, into a restaurant over the weekend. The event was not only great fun, but it became a turning point in my life. From then on, I focused on sustainability and regenerative agriculture, which eventually led me to a column in Guardian bestowed. That weekend we not only saved hundreds of pounds of food; nor were the resources used to produce them wasted. FareShare was able to use the proceeds to fund thousands of meals for those in need. And it made me realize that we as individuals can really make a difference.
If possible, I leave the peel on vegetables. However, the skin of cooked beets has the consistency of paper and tastes like nothing. It is ideal as a natural coloring agent for sweet and savory dishes – the peels are simply placed in one layer on a baking tray and dried in the oven (best when you are doing something else bakethat saves energy). Then you let them cool and grind them very finely – you have a bright red powder that lasts almost indefinitely.
Everything about the beetroot is actually edible, and the different parts each offer their own nutrients and flavors. You can prepare the leaves like other leafy vegetables, and the stems can be used to make a very special treat. To do this, put the stems in a small pot, fill with just enough water to half cover them, measure this amount of water in milliliters and add the same amount of sugar in grams. Heat and cook until the sugar mixture is firm but still sticky (it is then between 132 and 143 degrees, in technical terms this is called “weak break”). Remove the candied stems, place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper and leave them to cool and harden. Store in a clean, airtight container and use to decorate desserts and cakes.
Enjoy the cake with or without candied stems and beetroot powder, it tastes wonderfully decadently chocolaty either way. It keeps very well in the fridge and can therefore be prepared perfectly in advance Рvery pleasant when you have guests over. It hardens overnight and is easier to cut. Since it is really very rich and sumptuous, it is best to serve it in small portions and serve it with natural yogurt or cr̬me frąche to buffer the sweetness a little.
Beetroot Nemesis Cake
Line a round baking pan (20 cm diameter) with baking paper. Place the baking pan for the water bath in a larger dish or in a deep baking tray. In a bowl over a pot of hot but not boiling water Chocolate and melt butter.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for five to ten minutes until the egg mixture has doubled in volume.
Puree the beets in a blender, stir into the melted butter-chocolate mixture and then add everything to the egg mixture.
Pour the combined mixture into the baking pan lined with baking paper, put the larger tray in the oven preheated to 170 degrees and fill the bottom tray with enough boiling water until the baking tray is at least three-quarters deep in water. Bake until the dough is firm but still moist, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and place in the refrigerator.
Before serving, cut into small pieces, dust with beetroot powder, arrange candied beetroot stems on top and enjoy with a generous dollop of yoghurt or crème fraîche.
Translation: Heike Schlatterer
© Guardian News & Media Ltd. This recipe first appeared on The Guardian.
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