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500 g raw beetroots, preferably organic, scrubbed clean
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2 thumb-sized pieces fresh ginger, finely chopped
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3 large free-range eggs, separated
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150 ml honey
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170 ml olive oil
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2 vanilla pods, seeds from
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2 heaped teaspoons baking powder
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100 g polenta
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zest and juice of 1 orange
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1 good pinch salt
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1 good pinch allspice
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1 good pinch cinnamon
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150 g plain flour
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200 g crème fraîche
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1 wineglass vin santo, Marsala or sherry
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2 heaped tablespoons caster sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas 4. Peel your beetroots then
coarsely grate them into a bowl. Add the ginger, egg yolks, honey and
olive oil in a bowl and add the seeds from 1 vanilla pod. Whisk
together, then add the baking powder, polenta, orange zest and juice,
salt, allspice, cinnamon and flour. In a separate bowl beat the egg
whites until stiff and fold them into the beetroot mixture.
Get yourself a 25cm cake tin or cheesecake mould. Rub with butter and
dust with a little flour to stop the cake sticking. You could also line
it with greaseproof paper to be really sure. Pour in the mixture then
bake in the preheated oven for around 35 minutes until spongy. Test
whether it's ready by poking a cocktail stick into it – if it's clean
when it comes out you know the cake's done. Allow to cool.
Whisk the crème fraîche with the vin santo, sugar and the seeds from the
remaining vanilla pod. Taste and adjust to your liking with a bit more
sugar and vin santo. Serve the cake in wedges with a big dollop of the
vin santo and vanilla cream.
