BEET-LIME GANACHE

Beet-Lime Ganache image

This one is for the beet lovers out there. It's also for the not beet lovers out there. I am not a beet lover, but this ganache is delightful.

Yield Makes about 330 g (1 1/2 cups)

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks (use gloves; see page 23)
1 lime
Milk if needed
120 g white chocolate (4 1/4 ounces)
25 g butter (2 tablespoons)
100 g glucose (1/4 cup)
55 g cold heavy cream (1/4 cup)
3 g kosher salt (3/4 teaspoon)

Steps:

Heat the oven to 325°F.
Wrap the beet chunks up in a big sheet of aluminum foil and put on a sheet pan for easy handling. Roast for 1 to 2 hours, or until the beets are on the mushy side of tender; give them additional 30-minute intervals in the oven if they aren't.
Meanwhile, grate the zest from the lime; reserve. Squeeze 8g (2 teaspoons) juice from the lime and reserve.
Transfer the beets to a blender and puree them. (If your blender is giving you trouble, add up to 1 tablespoon milk to help get it going.) Pass the puree through a fine-mesh strainer-it should have the texture of Libby's pumpkin puree (or baby food). Measure out 120 g (1/3 cup) beet puree. Let cool.
Combine the white chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe dish and gently melt them in the microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between blasts. The result should be barely warm to the touch and totally homogenous.
Transfer the chocolate mixture to a container that can accommodate an immersion blender-something tall and narrow, like a 1-quart plastic deli container. Warm the glucose in the microwave for 15 seconds, then immediately add to the chocolate mixture and buzz with the hand blender. After a minute, stream in the heavy cream, with the hand blender running-the mixture will come together into something silky, shiny, and smooth.
Blend in the beet puree, lime zest, and salt. Put the ganache in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
Use a spatula to fold the lime juice into the ganache (do not do this until the ganache is set, or you will break the ganache). Put the ganache back in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or, ideally, overnight. Stored in an airtight container, it will keep in the fridge for 1 week. Serve cold.
In a pinch, substitute 35 g (2 tablespoons) corn syrup for the glucose.