Crispy Sheetpan Gnocchi with Mushrooms, Sausage, and Butternut Squash

 

This recipe is from The Kitchn. It had been in my bookmarks for a while, and since the Fox actually likes mushrooms, I finally made it last May. I used less oil than called for, but then I should have sprayed the pan with oil, so I’ll keep it in mind next time. And there will be a next time, because this was GREAT! Admittedly, it would look prettier in a shallow bowl than a plate, too. (If you’re not inspired by this mixture of vegetables, but you’re into pickled vegetables, check out this sheet pan gnocchi with meatballs and giardiniera instead.) The quantities below yield about 4 servings, but I’ve been known to make 2 pans at once and skip the broiling step. 

Update: I made it again more recently with a bit of oil in the pan and sweet potatoes instead of the squash to make my immediate family happy. This worked really well! The photo is below, plated in a shallow bowl. 

8 oz. cremini mushrooms 

½ medium red onion 

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 

1 lb. pre-cut butternut squash cubes (about 4 cups of roughly ½” cubes) 

1 lb. fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi 

¼ cup olive oil (I used less, but should have sprayed the sheetpan with oil) 

½ tsp. kosher salt 

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

8 oz. uncooked sweet or hot Italian sausage 

grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional) 

Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 450 °F. (I also covered my sheetpan with aluminum foil and, since I used much less oil, should have sprayed the pan with oil first.) 

Quarter cremini mushrooms and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Cut red onion into 1-inch chunks and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle rosemary over the vegetables. 

Add cubed butternut squash (trim any large pieces to desired size) and gnocchi to the baking sheet. Drizzle everything with ¼ cup olive oil (see note above), then sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss to coat and spread the mixture into an even layer. 

Remove the casings from sausages if needed. Drop bite-sized pieces of the sausage all over the top of the gnocchi mixture. 

Place the baking sheet on the lower rack. Roast, stirring halfway through, until the gnocchi are plump, the sausage is browned and cooked through, and the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes total. 

Move the baking sheet to the upper rack and turn on the broiler. Broil until the gnocchi are lightly browned and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve garnished with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

Clafoutis à la rhubarbe

 

Dans le Coup de Pouce de juin, il y avait cette recette de clafoutis à la rhubarbe à faire cuire sur le barbecue – mais heureusement pour moi, il y avait aussi des instructions pour le faire cuire au four! Puisqu’il y avait de la rhubarbe à mon arrivée à Montréal (je n’en avais pas vu au Texas), je l’ai fait; je vous donne les instructions pour le four ci-dessous. Les enfants n’ont pas beaucoup aimé, mais les gens qui apprécient la rhubarbe ont adoré! C’était moins sucré et moins gras que le clafoutis à la rhubarbe et à la noix de coco, qui est également délicieux.

J’ai coupé ma rhubarbe en plus petits morceaux que la recette l’exigeait. De plus, la recette d’origine recommandait de servir le clafoutis avec de la crème glacée à la pistache, le tout parsemé de pistaches hachées; bien que ça avait l’air délicieux, je l’ai servi tel quel. 

3 tasses de rhubarbe parée et coupée en tronçons de ¾ po (2 cm), soit environ 3 tiges 

2 c. à table de sucre granulé 

2 gros œufs 

¼ tasse de sucre d’érable 

2 tasses de lait entier sans lactose 

1 tasse de farine non blanchie 

¼ tasse de beurre sans lactose fondu 

1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille 

Préchauffer le four à 400°F. Graisser un moule à tarte profond de 10 po (25 cm) ou un poêlon en fonte. 

Dans un bol, mélanger la rhubarbe et le sucre granulé. Réserver à la température ambiante. 

Dans un grand bol, à l’aide d’un fouet, battre les œufs et le sucre d’érable jusqu’à ce que le sucre soit dissous. Incorporer le lait, en alternant avec la farine. Ajouter le beurre et la vanille, et mélanger jusqu’à ce que la pâte soit lisse. 

Répartir la rhubarbe dans le moule préparé et verser la pâte par-dessus. Cuire au four préchauffé pendant 30 à 40 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que le clafoutis soit pris et doré. Laisser reposer 5 minutes avant de servir.

Tarte frangipane aux figues

 

Je ne fais pas ça souvent, mais je vais vous parler d’un plat que ce n’est pas moi qui ai fait! On avait des figues fraîches en bonne quantité, alors ma mère a eu la bonne idée de faire cette tarte frangipane aux figues de Ricardo. C’était absolument délicieux! On pense que ce serait vraiment excellent aussi avec des prunes ou des pêches, ou encore avec des poires l’automne. 

Pour la croûte 

½ tasse de beurre sans lactose, ramolli 

1/3 tasse de sucre 

1 œuf 

1 ½ tasse de farine tout usage non blanchie 

¼ c. à thé de sel 

Pour la frangipane

½ tasse de beurre sans lactose, ramolli 

½ tasse de sucre 

2 c. à thé d'extrait de vanille 

2 œufs 

1 ¼ tasse d'amandes en poudre 

3 c. à soupe de farine tout usage non blanchie 

Pour la garniture 

4 figues fraîches coupées en deux (selon la grosseur) 

1 figue entière 

3 c. à soupe de miel chaud 

Pour la croûte 

Dans un bol, crémer le beurre avec le sucre au batteur électrique. Ajouter l'œuf et battre jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit homogène. À basse vitesse, incorporer les ingrédients secs. Le résultat sera granuleux. Du bout des doigts, presser la pâte dans un moule à tarte à fond amovible de 27 cm (10 1/2 po) de diamètre sur 2,5 cm (1 po) de hauteur. Réfrigérer 30 minutes. 

Placer la grille dans le bas du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. 

Pour la frangipane 

Dans un bol, crémer le beurre avec le sucre et la vanille au batteur électrique. Ajouter les œufs, un à la fois, et battre jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit homogène. À basse vitesse, incorporer les ingrédients secs. Verser la frangipane dans l'abaisse. 

Pour la garniture 

Placer la figue entière au centre et y disposer les figues tout autour, côté coupé vers le haut, en laissant un espace entre chacune. 

Cuire au four environ 50 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la frangipane soit bien dorée et qu'un cure-dent inséré au centre en ressorte propre. 

À la sortie du four, badigeonner délicatement les figues de miel. 

Laisser tiédir. Servir tiède, à la température de la pièce ou froid.

Chocolate Buckwheat Cake

 

This chocolate buckwheat cake was adapted by David Lebovitz, from Aran Goyoaga’s Small Plates and Sweet Treats. I made one little mistake, because the ingredient list did not specify that the sugar was to be divided – I used it all with the yolks, but it all came out fine in the end. I made it clear in the recipe below. This cake was a success! 

6 oz. (170 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 

½ cup (115 g) lactose-free butter, cubed 

4 large eggs, separated 

½ cup (100 g) unrefined or granulated sugar, divided 

1/3 cup lactose-free plain whole-milk yogurt 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

½ tsp. salt 

¾ cup (75 g) almond or hazelnut flour 

¼ cup (35 g) buckwheat flour 

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Butter an 8-inch (20cm) cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. 

In a large, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter until smooth, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ¼ cup of the sugar, yogurt, vanilla, and salt, the whisk them into the melted chocolate. Stir in the almond or hazelnut flour, and the buckwheat flour. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or by hand, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually whip in the other ¼ cup of the sugar until the whites are in firm peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining chocolate mixture just until it’s completely combined. 

Scrape the batter into the pan, level the top, then bake for 25 to 30 minutes; the cake will feel relatively set, but the center of the cake should still be soft. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the cake pan and let cool completely.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

 

Here’s a very good vegetarian recipe from Weelicious: sweet potato and black bean enchiladas. The sweet potatoes are mashed, so they help keep the beans in place. I thought the Little Prince would like this if I simply omitted the cheese topping on his enchilada, but it turns out that he didn’t like the cheese inside it either, so this was not for him – but I really liked them. 

2 large baked sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed 

½ tsp. garlic powder 

1 tsp. onion powder 

½ tsp. ground cumin 

½ tsp. kosher salt 

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed 

1 ½ cups shredded mexican blend cheese (make sure it’s lactose-free) 

1 12-oz. can enchilada sauce (I used this recipe instead) 

6 large flour tortillas, or 12 corn tortillas 

avocado, pico de gallo, cilantro, or toppings of choice 

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. 

Poke the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a foil lined baking sheet in the oven until fork tender, about 1 hour. 

Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then slice down the middle and scoop out all the pulp into a bowl. Turn the oven down to 350 °F.  

To the sweet potato pulp, add the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, black beans, and 1 cup of cheese. Stir to thoroughly combine. 

Pour half of the enchilada sauce into a 9x11 baking dish. Place about ½ cup mixture into the middle of each tortilla and roll up. 

Place the enchiladas, seam side down, into the baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top. 

Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. 

Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is melted and browned slightly. 

Top as desired and serve.

Atlanta

We spent a day in Atlanta on our way north this summer. I’d been meaning to visit for a long time, and I’m glad I had my family with me! 

Our first stop was the Georgia Aquarium. We were blown away! In addition to all the exhibits, we caught the sea lion show and the 4D movie (4D means that there are 3D glasses as well as physical interventions like bubbles, wind, and sprays of water, to make the experience more immersive). We also saw the dolphins and belugas and sea dragons and more fish that I could possibly name or count. Many of the tanks have special viewing stations for kids built right in – we’re talking tunnels and acrylic domes leading right into the tank! 

The absolute best part for me was the huge tank with whale sharks. It starts with a tunnel into a tank that has huge rays, sea turtles, sharks and other fish, and every once in a while, you can see a whale shark in the distance. These are the biggest fish in the world! I remember seeing them in National Geographic magazines when I was a kid, but I never thought I’d get to see a real live one! I felt like the paleontologists from Jurassic Park when they first see the live dinosaurs! Eventually, you make your way around to a huge acrylic wall, at least two stories high, and then you can observe the pair of whale sharks in all their glory (along with a hundred other fish). It was absolutely stunning! I think if I lived in Atlanta, I’d get an annual pass and come here first thing in the morning once in a while, before the crowds. 

There was another tank with white-tipped sharks and hammerhead sharks swimming alongside a school of fish, and that was also very impressive (pardon the ambient noise). 

Then, we went to the World of Coca-Cola, which is right next door. I used to have a collection of Coca-Cola items (I technically still do, but it’s been whittled down a lot) and I had been meaning to visit this place for years and years, so I couldn’t miss it. That being said, if you are not in that situation, I have to admit that the visit might not be worth it for you. In a nutshell, there are some Coca-Cola artefacts, exhibits about the history and fabrication, more interactive exhibits about the art and honing your sense of smell… The highlight is that tasting room at the end of the tour: there are several soda fountain stations, each with ten or so drinks that Coca-Cola makes in various countries, and you get to walk around and taste as many as you want! I really enjoyed the red punch from Korea (the blackberry soda from Malawi deserves a special mention too), but was less keen on the apple soda from Germany and the Beverly soda from Italy. 

I also walked around a bit in Centennial Olympic Park, which was beautiful, albeit not peaceful like Discovery Green. It was mid- to late-afternoon by then, and there were a *lot* of people carrying clipboards and asking for donations for various organizations, with such insistence that it felt a bit aggressive. So I’m aware that I only saw a very small sliver of Atlanta, but overall, I loved it!

Dark Chocolate Swirl Banana Tahini Muffins

 

I got this recipe from Soom and made it when we had half a jar of their (delicious!) dark chocolate tahini with sea salt to use up, and we were trying to get rid of the last of the frozen bananas as well. I really like banana muffins, tahini, and chocolate, so obviously this was up my alley! 

If you can’t get your hands on Soom Dark Chocolate Tahini with Sea Salt, you can replace it with your chocolate spread of choice, and fine sea salt to taste. 

1 ½ cups oat flour 

¼ cup instant oats 

1 tsp. baking soda 

1 tsp. cinnamon sea salt, to taste 

3 large overripe bananas, mashed 

1 large egg 

½ cup tahini 

¼ cup maple syrup 

¼ cup melted lactose-free butter (vegan if needed) 

½ cup Soom Dark Chocolate Tahini with Sea Salt, to swirl 

Preheat oven to 350 °F; line a muffin tin with 12 liners. 

In a small bowl, which together the oat flour, instant oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt. Set aside. 

Place bananas, egg, tahini, maple syrup, and melted butter in a large bowl. Using a hand blender, blend the wet ingredients until smooth. Using a large spoon, mix in dry ingredients until a batter forms. 

Scoop the batter evenly into muffin tins. Then, take a small spoonful of dark chocolate tahini and place it on top of each muffin. Swirl the chocolate into the batter using a butter knife to create a marbled look. 

Bake the muffins for 22-25 minutes until a knife comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake! Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes before placing on a cooling rack. Enjoy with extra Dark Chocolate Tahini with Sea Salt if you wish!

Houston

On our way up this year (our first time driving back to Canada since the onset of the pandemic), we made a first stop in Houston. I’ve always wanted to visit, but it still hadn’t happened after over 10 years in Texas! I kept thinking that we could just go on a long weekend, but this year I was forced to admit that the Engineer’s long weekends somehow never coincided with the kids’ long weekends, so if we wanted to visit, we had to make it happen in the summer. 

Our first stop, immediately following a nice lunch at nearby London Cafe, was Seismique, an immersive experience with light and sound. (To be honest, we also considered Candytopia, but decided that only one of the two was in our budget. Luckily, the Engineer had the brilliant idea to look up detailed YouTube videos of both visits, and Seismique was more up our alley.) Let’s get the downsides out of the way: first, it’s expensive. Second, it isn’t built with a logical path in mind, meaning that in order to see the whole thing, you’ll have to pay attention, double back, and follow along on a map. Except they don’t give you a map, they instead rely on you to download their app and use their cartoon map – the app is also necessary to interact with some displays, but others can be activated physically. Third, no backpacks or large bags are allowed, so plan accordingly. 

That being said, we really enjoyed our visit! The kids AND grownups enjoyed interacting with the lights and various exhibits. We loved the huge crocheted play structure, even though only the kids could use its full potential (and the Fox predictably got stuck at the top at some point, but we managed to coax him down). Really, apart from a few exhibits that were either hard to operate or not working well, everything was fun! 

We then ended the day by walking around Discovery Green, a large park downtown. There are green spaces, a pond, a playground, a splash pad, small cafés, sculptures, etc. It was a really pleasant way to unwind! Note that if budget had allowed, we would have booked a room at the adjacent Mariott Marquis Houston, which has a rooftop lazy river shaped like Texas! We then had dinner at nearby The Rustic. The openness and fans made us comfortable, and given that we had reached our noise quota for the day, we were glad there were no live performances that night. The food was good, albeit spicy. 

We started off the next day killing some time at the McGovern Centennial Gardens, which were really beautiful, especially the knoll with the spiral path! We then walked to the Children’s Museum Houston when it opened. The Engineer had suggested it the day before, so it wasn’t part of our original plan, but it’s a really nice museum, and I’m glad we went! We also had lunch there before walking back to the car. There were many other museums in the area that looked interesting and inviting! 

We then made a pit stop at the Rothko Chapel, a non-denominational place of worship and contemplation. The grounds are beautiful, and the inside of the chapel was more like a room in a modern art museum than any church I’ve been to. There is a skylight, and benches are arranged in concentric circles in an octagonal room. The white walls are decorated with what, at first glance, look like large rectangular canvasses painted black, but when you look more closely, you realize that one of them is actually purplish and has lighter brushstrokes, one is actually a burgundy rectangle on a dark grey background, etc. We walked around outside, but sadly, the adjacent Menil Collection was closed that day. 

Finally, we drove to the main event: the Space Center. I’m not a NASA buff, more of a casual fan, but this was really interesting to me. You can visit Space Shuttle Independence, a high-fidelity replica of shuttles used by NASA in previous programs. You’ll learn a lot about previous missions as well as current conditions on the International Space Station, about space and the NASA in general… You can even touch a rock from the Moon! We didn’t take the tours of the grounds because by then, we were all tired (especially the kids), so we went back to the hotel for a swim before dinner. I really liked Houston!

Pizza with Cheddar, Caramelized Onions, and Eggs

 

This recipe is from The Weekday Vegetarians, Jenny Rosenstrach’s latest cookbook. It’s an easy recipe, though it should be said that even though it’s vegetarian, it doesn’t really have any vegetables. (I mean, technically there’s onion, but from a nutritional standpoint, does it really count?) It would be a good idea to pair it with a green salad. I really liked the addition of garlic powder to the crust edges, and the combination of flavors was really doing it for me. Both the Engineer and I liked this, but sadly, the kids did not. 

I did not stretch out the dough as required – I only had 13 ounces instead of 16, but even then, I don’t see a pound of dough stretched out that thinly! I used a smaller baking sheet and stretched the dough as much as I could. Finally, I had some trouble with the baking times. The eggs weren’t nearly done after 5 minutes! I tried baking the dough and cheese 5 minutes, adding the eggs and baking for 8 minutes and then leaving the pizza in the oven (turned off) for another 10 minutes, but that didn’t quite do it. For the second batch, I tried just putting them on the pizza right from the beginning and baking it 12 minutes total, but even then, the crust was too dark while the egg whites were not quite done. I guess the recipe still needs some tweaking. 

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

3 large yellow onions, roughly chopped 

1 lb. pizza dough (storebought is fine), at room temperature 

¼ tsp. garlic powder 

6 oz. lactose-free sharp cheddar, grated (about 1 ½ cups) 

4 large eggs 

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish 

Preheat oven to 450 °F. Arrange an oven rack in the middle position. 

As the oven heats, combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the onions in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Stir every few minutes, making sure they are getting soft and golden but not blackened or burned, until caramel colored and slightly jammy, 20 to 25 minutes (I’m more of a realist and will tell you that it takes longer to caramelize onions). 

While the onions are cooking, brush an 18x13-inch sheet pan (see note above) with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Drop the dough in the center of the pan and, using your fingers, press and stretch out the dough to the sides and into corners of the pan. The goal is to get the crust as thin as possible. Mix together the garlic powder and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and brush the perimeter of the dough. 

Top the dough with an even layer of the cheddar, leaving a 1-inch cheese-free border, and bake for 8 minutes (see note above). Remove from the oven and top with the caramelized onions, shaping them into 4 little “nests” for the eggs (one in each corner). Carefully crack 1 egg in each nest. Bake until the whites are cooked, the yolks are still slightly runny, and the crust is golden, about 5 minutes. Top with salt, pepper, and parsley.

Genre de millefeuille facile

 

Parfois, je fais des recettes pour finir quelque chose dans le congélateur (comme ce sorbet à la rhubarbe et au babeurre). D’autres fois, je fais quelque chose strictement parce que je pense que ça va plaire à ma famille. C’était le cas de ce dessert de Ricardo : un genre de millefeuille facile, qui est en fait un pouding étagé à la vanille avec des biscuits graham. Donc, comme un millefeuille, mais… sans les feuilles. 

Alors, le défaut, selon moi, c’est que les biscuits graham ramollissent un peu trop, même seulement après les 24 heures recommandées (et ça ramollit encore davantage à la longue, on s’entend). C’était donc difficile de démouler les morceaux, et ceux-ci s’affaissaient complètement dans l’assiette, alors que j’aurais voulu qu’ils se tiennent droits. D’autant plus que cette fois-ci, ma crème à fouetter végétalienne avait bien pris, alors ma crème chantilly avait la consistance parfaite! Donc même si c’était plus facile à couper qu’un vrai millefeuille, j’aimais un peu moins ça. Je pense que je le laisserais moins longtemps dans le frigo si c’était possible. De plus, je n’ai pas eu assez de glaçage pour recouvrir toute la surface du genre de millefeuille, alors j’en ferai un peu plus la prochaine fois. J’ai aussi eu de la difficulté sur le coup à faire de belles lignes avec le glaçage au chocolat, mais en fin de compte, ça ne paraissait plus au moment de servir. 

Par contre, l’Ingénieur a vraiment trippé! Il trouve que c’est mieux qu’un millefeuille, justement parce qu’on peut le couper facilement avec une fourchette. Le Petit Prince a déclaré que c’était maintenant son dessert préféré et que non seulement il voulait que j’en refasse, mais il pensait même que ce serait meilleur qu’un gâteau à sa fête! Le Renard, quant à lui, a aimé le glaçage sur le dessus. 

J’ai obtenu 8 portions, mais la forme allongée des morceaux a compliqué le démoulage. La prochaine fois, je pense que je couperais 9 rectangles (donc légèrement plus larges, mais moins longs, que les parts sur les photos). 

Pour le pouding à la vanille 

80 g (6 c. à soupe) de sucre 

35 g (¼ tasse) de fécule de maïs 

2 jaunes d’œufs 

2 tasses de lait sans lactose 

1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille 

2 c. à soupe de beurre sans lactose, coupé en dés 

Pour la crème chantilly 

1 ½ tasse de crème sans lactose (la mienne était végétalienne) 

1 c. à soupe de sucre 

½ c. à thé d’extrait de vanille 

Pour le glaçage (voir plus haut) 

295 g (2 ¼ tasses) de sucre à glacer 

¼ tasse de lait 

1 c. à thé de cacao, tamisé 

36 biscuits graham carrés (j’en avais 18 rectangulaires) 

Pour le pouding à la vanille 

Dans une petite casserole hors du feu, mélanger le sucre et la fécule au fouet. Ajouter les jaunes d’œufs et ¼ tasse du lait, et bien mélanger. Incorporer le reste du lait, la vanille et le beurre. Porter à ébullition à feu moyen en remuant continuellement et en raclant le fond et la paroi de la casserole jusqu’à ce que le mélange épaississe. Retirer du feu. 

Passer le pouding au tamis si, nécessaire. Verser dans un bol et couvrir directement la surface du pouding de pellicule plastique. Laisser tiédir, puis réfrigérer de 2 à 3 heures ou jusqu’à ce que le pouding soit raffermi et refroidi. 

Au moment d’utiliser le pouding, le mélanger avec une spatule pour lui redonner de la souplesse. 

Pour la crème chantilly 

Dans un bol, fouetter la crème, le sucre et la vanille au batteur électrique jusqu’à l’obtention de pics fermes. Réserver au réfrigérateur. 

Pour le glaçage 

Dans un bol, mélanger le sucre à glacer avec le lait. Prélever 3 c. à soupe du glaçage et déposer dans un autre bol. 

Dans le bol avec la petite quantité de glaçage, incorporer le cacao en remuant vigoureusement. Ajouter quelques gouttes de lait, au besoin, pour que le glaçage au chocolat soit coulant. Réserver. 

Pour le montage 

Dans un plat en verre de 28 x 20 cm (11 x 8 po), répartir le tiers des biscuits afin de bien couvrir le fond, en les taillant au besoin (surtout les coins). Étaler le pouding à la vanille sur les biscuits. Couvrir avec un autre tiers des biscuits, puis y étaler la crème chantilly. Couvrir du reste des biscuits, puis y étaler le glaçage blanc. 

À même le bol, laisser couler le glaçage au chocolat en filet en formant des lignes dans le sens de la largeur du plat. Passer un cure-dents dans un sens puis dans l’autre en traversant les lignes de chocolat pour créer un effet marbré. Ne pas couvrir. Réfrigérer 24 heures (voir note plus haut).

Heartbeet Chocolate Cake

 

I saw this chocolate beet cake on Bon Appétit and decided to make it. I was really glad to read the comments in the original recipe, because they made my life much easier. First, instead of roasting or boiling my own beets for this, I used a 15-oz. can of sliced beets, drained them, then puréed them with an immersion blender – boom, just the right amount. Second, I used a 9” springform pan instead of an 8” pan, which would have been too small – that’s what I’m writing below. Everyone liked this cake! (The Fox doesn’t like the glaze because the chocolate is too soft, but he does like the cake itself.) 

For the cake 

4 medium beets, scrubbed (see note above) 

2 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil, plus more for pan 

½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus more for pan 

1 ½ cups almond flour 

½ tsp. baking soda 

½ tsp. ground cinnamon 

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

4 large eggs 

1 ¼ cups (packed) light brown sugar 

1 tsp. kosher salt (I used ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt) 

For the glaze 

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 

1 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil 

¼ tp. vanilla extract 

1 pinch kosher salt 

For the cake 

Cook beets in a medium pot of boiling unsalted water until tender, 30–40 minutes, depending on size. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Cut off stem end, then peel and cut beets into large pieces. Transfer to a blender and add 2 Tbsp. water. Blend, adding water 1 Tbsp. at a time as needed, until a smooth purée forms—it should be the consistency of applesauce. Measure out 1 cup purée (reserve remaining purée for another use, such as blending into a smoothie). 

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line bottom of a 9" round cake pan with parchment. Grease with oil, then dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. 

Whisk almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and remaining ½ cup cocoa powder in a medium bowl; set aside. 

Heat chocolate and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until melted. Remove bowl from heat. Stir in vinegar, vanilla, and reserved 1 cup beet purée until smooth. 

Beat eggs, brown sugar, and salt in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed (or use an electric mixer and large bowl) until more than tripled in volume and mixture holds a ribbon for several seconds when beater is lifted above batter, 5–7 minutes. Thoroughly beating the eggs is key to creating an aerated, light crumb and is a critical step when using gluten-free ingredients. 

Pour chocolate-beet mixture into egg mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Turn mixer off and gently tip in reserved dry ingredients. Beat on lowest speed, scraping down bowl as needed, until combined. 

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed, 45–50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edges of pan, then invert cake onto a wire rack and let cool. 

For the glaze 

Heat chocolate, oil, vanilla, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring often, until chocolate is melted. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and cool enough to touch, 10–15 minutes. Place rack with cake on a rimmed baking sheet. 

Pour glaze over center of cake to cover top, tilting baking sheet slightly to encourage a few drips to run over sides of cake. Let sit at room temperature until glaze is set, 2–3 hours. The cake can be kept at room temperature for a few days.