Beetroot Bread with Walnuts

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 F/ 220 C/ gas mark Place the beetroot on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven, leave to cool and discard the skin (it should peel off easily).  Puree the beetroot with the pear and apple juice. You can do this step in advance.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark Lightly grease a 22 cm (8.5'') bread pan, line with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 3

Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, lemon zest and salt and stir thoroughly using a whisk. Set aside.

Step 4

Beat together the eggs, sugar and oil for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Pour in the beet mixture and stir well to combine.

Step 5

Add the walnuts and the flour mixture and stir just to combine (stop stirring when the dry ingredients have disappeared). The batter will be lumpy.

Step 6

Transfer the batter into the bread tin, smooth out the top with the back of a spoon and bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour and 5 minutes.

Step 7

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift the bread out of the pan with the parchment paper and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing (store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge).