Torta lenticchie e cioccolato - Lentil and Chocolate Cake

Lentils are my favourite pulse. No need to soak, versatile, light to digest, nutritious, with a nutty taste. Here I discover that they well combine with chocolate, becoming a fancy ingredient for desserts.

I like to serve my lentil gluten-free cake with the first strawberries of the season.

Here I use red lentils, which cook in less than 20 minutes. I blend them into a smooth puree and I leave to cool completely before adding them to the chocolate and butter mixture.

It is important to leave to cool both the chocolate and butter mixture and the lentil puree before combining them together.

Torta lenticchie e cioccolato
Lentil and Chocolate Cake 
Gluten-free

150 g red lentils
150 g bitter chocolate, 70%
150 g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extracts
150 g caster sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the lentils
3 large eggs
50 g corn flour
50 g ground almonds
2 teaspoons baking powder

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves 8

1. In a pan cover the lentils with one litre of cold water; bring it to the boil, add one tablespoon of sugar and cook for 20 minutes, until tender. Drain.

2. In a food processor mash the lentils into a smooth purée. Leave to cool.

3. Grease a 22 cm spring form tin with butter and dust with flour. 

4. Melt butter and chocolate Bain Marie. Leave to cool and stir in the lentil puree and the vanilla extracts.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

6. Beat sugar and yolks, one by one, until you get a creamy consistency.

7. Fold in the chocolate mixture and mix.

8. Stir in the flours and the baking powder.

9. Whisk egg whites until firm and fold into the chocolate mixture with a spatula.

10. Arrange the mixture in the tin and bake for 40 minutes, until set.

11.Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

12. Turn the cake out on a serving dish and serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.