Red Velvet Squares

Truth be told, I’m not a Valentines Day chick, but I love having a purpose for creating new recipes and holidays are awesome excuses to mess about in the kitchen. My intention this year is to keep all my recipes very simple, but aesthetically delightful and… mission accomplished, friends!

Aren’t they so pretty?!? The red velvet cake is soft and sweet, rich and deeply chocolatey, a touch of lemon juice gives a slight acidity to bring out the earthiness of the beetroot. It all finishes perfectly in the mouth with the outer casing of dark chocolate melting into a decadent chocolate sauce in your mouth. In other words, sicko good! 🙂

50g ( ⅓ cup heaped ) oat flour
50g ( ⅓ cup level ) ground almonds
35g ( 2 ½ tbsp ) beetroot powder
20g ( 1 ½ tbsp ) lemon juice
50g ( ⅓ cup heaped ) cacao powder
50g ( ½ cup ) coconut sugar
1 tsp tamari

60g ( ¼ cup / 2 oz ) coconut butter, melted
100g ( 6-7 ) fresh medjool dates, pitted
20g ( 1 tbsp ) water, or as needed to bring together

40g ( 1.5 oz ) chocolate, shaved ( optional for texture )

200g chocolate, melted ( and tempered if desired )

Method

• In a food processor combine the first set of ingredients and pulse.

• Add the second set of ingredients and blend to combine. The mix should just come together in the processor, but not be so moist it forms a ball. If you think it needs more water, add 1 tsp at a time, process and add more if needed.

• Pulse through the shaved chocolate.

• Line a springform tart tin with cling film, or use a silicone tart tin for easy release. I used a rectangular flan tin ( 36 x 12 cm or 14 x 4.5-inch ).

• Alternatively, you could use a shaped silicone chocolate mould, like hearts, squares, etc.. You’d proceed the same way.

• Press the dough into the flan tin, it may only fill ½ – ¾ of the tin, but that’s fine. Just get it as even on the top as possible using a cranked spatula or the back of a spoon. Mine were about ½ inch thick.

• Pop it in the fridge to set, about 10-15 minutes.
• Once the red velvet is set, pop it out of the tin and cut it into squares, or the shape you desire. If you used silicone, pop em out and you’re ready to enrobe. Keep them in the fridge while you get the chocolate ready.
• If you’d like to add that lovely little pink bit on top of the chocolates, then pop over to this post, scroll down to the bit about making different coloured icings and jump in. I used dried beetroot powder to make this pretty pink. Using freeze dried beetroot will result in a lavender colour. You could also try using freeze dried strawberry or raspberry powder, then sieving out the seeds. That’ll make a gorgeous pink/red.