Materials
- Waffle iron
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients for Waffles
- 1.5 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 TB dark cocoa powder (I use Valrhona or Hershey’s)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp instant coffee or espresso crystals
- 6 whole eggs – beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1c buttermilk, well shaken, at room temperature
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- Vegetable spray for waffle iron
Ingredients for Frosting
- 1 - 8 oz brick of cream cheese – at room temperature
- 1 – 8 oz carton Mascarpone cheese (if you don’t want this, just use another 8oz cream cheese)
- 4c confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
- ½ stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Ingredients for Finishing Touches
- Chocolate Sauce – purchased
- More chocolate chips
- Raspberries or Strawberries
Directions
1) Preheat waffle maker.
2) Melt the chocolate chips with the butter over a double boiler, whisk, and let cool.
3) Whisk together the first 5 ingredients in one bowl. In to another beat the eggs and vanilla, add the melted butter/chocolate mixture, and then add the buttermilk. Gently add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
4) Spray the waffle iron with vegetable spray or brush with butter, and make a test waffle with a couple of TB of batter to make sure settings produce a crispy waffle that is easily removed. Pour in about 3/4c waffle batter and with heat proof spatula quickly guide the batter to the edges. When the edges start to crisp, close the waffle iron. Cook until edges are dark brown and when steam stops emitting from the waffler.
5) Proceed to make the remainder of the waffles and let them cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
6) In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the cream cheese and mascarpone with the butter until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and start adding the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until incorporated. Once all the powdered sugar is added, add in the vanilla, a pinch of salt and beat until fluffy.
To Assemble:
Place one waffle on a serving platter. Anchor to the plate with a dab of frosting. Frost with cream cheese frosting, and repeat until you have a 6-8 layer “cake.” Frost top with cream cheese frosting, then top with berries and drizzle with chocolate sauce.