Flourless Chocolate Beet Cake

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the beets, one cup of the sugar and the water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the beets are soft, about 15 minutes. Strain out the beets and set them aside to cool. Reserve the syrup to serve with the cake. (Note: If the syrup is not thick enough, return it to the saucepan and cook it down to the desired thickness.)

Place the eggs and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed until the mixture is light in color and makes a ribbon, about five minutes.

Meanwhile, place the chocolate chips and butter into a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave until the chocolate melts, stirring every 30 seconds. Whisk in the cocoa powder and salt.

Slowly add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture while beating on low speed. Fold in the beets. Pour the batter into an 8-inch cake pan lined
with parchment and buttered. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes until it is just firm to the touch. Cool on a rack for ten minutes and invert onto a serving platter. Serve with the beet syrup.