I love a rich, chocolatey treat now and then. With Christmas candy and cookies all around, one would think it might be time to just lean on those. But then again, you might not have gotten to enjoy the bliss that is a brownie bite made with pureed beets. Yeah - they somehow make them richer, denser, and even more chocolatey - everything you want in a simple dessert.
I like to pair making these cupcakes along with making a boiled or roasted beet dish otherwise because taking a couple beets takes the same amount of time as tackling a half dozen. So whether I'm making pickled beets, a salad featuring beets, or borscht as a soup course for a holiday meal, I snag a couple of the beets to work into this clever recipe. Oh - and if you're running out of time, feel free to just add the puree to a good brownie box mix. I won't tell!
My favorite way to serve these is atop a pool of cherry port sauce. I just make the sauce part of that recipe and enjoy. But you can use any number of homemade or jarred sauces - you can even warm a bit of your favorite preserves and use that. And of course you can frost them or even just dig in as is. Get ready to enjoy the richness beets brings to the dessert table!
Beet Brownie Bites
- 8 oz. boiled/roasted beets, peeled (about 2 medium beets)
- 1 c. butter (2 sticks)
- 8 ounces dark chocolate chopped or chips
- 1 ¼ c. flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 c. packed brown sugar
Quarter the beets and transfer them to a food processor; process until pureed, scraping the sides down twice.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the muffin tins by lining 18 cups with paper liners; set aside.
Cut the sticks of butter into tablespoon sized chunks and place them in a heavy saucepan. Add the chopped chocolate and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture melts and is smooth. Remove the pan from heat; set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, gently mix the eggs for about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and brown sugar; mix on medium-high until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed and add the beet puree and then slowly add the chocolate mixture; mix just until combined. Add the flour mixture and again, mix just until combined. Fill the paper liners in the muffin tin about ⅔ full.
Bake in the preheated oven for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the edge of a cupcake comes out almost clean. Do not over bake. Cool for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan. Store covered and serve with your favorite dessert sauces, frosted, or just as is.
- Yields: 18 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes