Hazelnut, beetroot and chocolate muffin

MAKES 12

120g plain flour

50g ground hazelnuts 150g sugar

1½ tbsp vanilla sugar 50g cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 pinch salt

200g cooked beetroot 150ml canola or rapeseed oil 3 eggs

To decorate

100g dark cooking chocolate 50g icing sugar

About 1½ tbsp beetroot juice Red food colouring

80g hazelnuts

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 5. Line two six-hole or one 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases; alternatively, butter the holes and dust them with flour to get beautifully smooth muffins.

Combine the flour, ground hazelnuts, sugar, vanilla sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Coarsely chop the beetroot and transfer to a separate tall mixing bowl together with the oil. Finely blend with a stick blender, then add the eggs one by one. Quickly stir in the dry ingredients in three batches to combine everything well.

Divide the batter among the muffin holes, filling them two thirds full. Bake for about 22 minutes. A skewer or toothpick inserted into the centre should come out clean. Set the muffins aside to cool, then remove from the tins.

Melt the dark cooking chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk the icing sugar, beetroot juice and a little food colouring together to make a bright pink icing. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and dry-roast in a frying pan until they smell fragrant. Glaze half of the cooled muffins with the chocolate and the other half with the icing. Sprinkle with the nuts.