Lentil Chocolate Truffles
I put lentils in chocolate truffles. Don’t judge me just yet.
It’s not like I dream up crazy healthy things to put in my desserts just to justify eating them. I’m not going to show up on the blog next week with spinach chocolate truffles (but hey, that might even work! I mean, people hide spinach in all kinds of fruity drinks….).
It’s time for the Lentil Recipe Revelations Challenge again hosted by Canadian Lentils.
Last year I submitted my Slow Cooker BBQ Beef & Lentil Sloppy Joes and my Nanaimo Layer Cake, made with cooked, pureed red lentils and entirely gluten free. Both are recipes we still love to this day.
So when I heard that the challenge was coming up again, I started dreaming up extravagant concoctions to try with lentils. I have a major sweet tooth (what? You’ve noticed??), so I knew I was going sweet. I didn’t have time to make a few different recipes, so I was going to stick with what I know best: sugar.
Oh, I had grand plans.
Decadent layer cakes and cupcakes with fillings and ganache and frostings galore. I was planning this all out with the lovely Katherine Penfold, Jazz Singer Extraordinaire and High School Best Friend, when I went to review the criteria.
There were the usual suspects: taste, appeal, use of lentils.
Also: “Simplicity: Is this convenient and simple enough for a packed lunch?” And I had to revise my plans.
I mean, I totally see where they’re coming from. I think there are a lot of people out there who don’t yet cook with lentils on a regular basis, and you want recipes that make them approachable for all kinds of people.
And let me tell you, I approached these truffles myself once or twice.
Okay so I ate most of them.
I was so excited when I pulled the truffle mixture out of the fridge, stabbed a spoon into the mixture to see if it had firmed up, then completely filled my face took a small, reasonable scoop of the chocolate mixture and gave it the good old taste test.
I might have squealed and jumped up and down like my toddler at snack time.
The recipe is simple, and though I tried to eliminate the separate cooking of the lentils and melting of the chocolate, it just couldn’t be done while still achieving the perfectly smooth texture. Feel free to mix up the extracts and flavors, or use dark or milk chocolate as you desire.
Thanks to Katherine Penfold for the awesome recipe video!
Lentil Chocolate Truffles
Prep time 25 mins
Total time 25 mins
Lentil Chocolate Truffles: a super simple, 5 ingredient truffle that is smooth, luscious, and healthier than the rest! www.thereciperebel.com
Serves: 18
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry red lentils
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp instant coffee (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla (or other extracts)
- 1 ½ cups chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- For rolling: cocoa, toasted coconut, sprinkles, colored sugar
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine lentils, water, coffee and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Transfer lentils to a food processor and process until completely smooth (*this is crucial for smooth truffles. Rub a small amount of the lentils between your fingers to test for smoothness).
- In another small pot, combine chocolate and cream and melt over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth (be very careful not to overheat. If that is a concern, use a double boiler to melt the chocolate instead).
- Add chocolate to the lentils in the food processor and process until completely combined. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate for 5-6 hours or overnight. Once the truffle mixture has set, roll into 1” balls (or desired size), and roll in your choice of coatings. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
3.2.2885
See my entries for 2014!
Slow Cooker BBQ Beef & Lentil Sloppy Joes
