Homemade Wildeklawer Beet Powder showcases the humble beet’s remarkable transformation into a rich, ruby-red powder, perfect for adding a splash of natural color to your culinary creations. This recipe is from Cora de Kock’s cookbook, Reënboogkos.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium beets

Instructions:

• Wash and peel the beets.
• Slice the beets into thin slices using a mandolin slicer – thinner slices will dry faster.
• Spread the beet slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting.
• Place the baking sheets in the oven and dry the beets thoroughly – this process may take up to a day.
• Remove the beets from the oven when they are crispy and completely dried out.
• Allow the dried beet slices to cool down.
• Process the cooled beet slices in a food processor until they turn into a fine powder.
• Important: Let the powder settle in the food processor for 10 minutes before removing the lid to avoid any airborne powder.
• Carefully transfer the beet powder to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• To use the beet powder as a natural food colouring, mix one spoonful of powder with one spoonful of water and set it aside to dissolve. The color intensity can be adjusted by varying the ratio of water to powder.

*Note: The beet slices can also be dried using a microwave or by leaving them in the sun. Have you ever used beet powder and what do you use it for?