Chocolate and Raspberry Waffles

It was a snow day! The fist one this winter, which is not so typical. Usually we'd have at least a couple by now. This year we're lucky, or not. Depends how you look at it.

Never the less, an unscheduled day off usually means a nice extra long breakfast.

Today's idea--waffles. And as if having waffles wasn't good enough--chocolate waffles. During winter days I like to keep few things on hand and chocolate powder is in top 5. It is essential for most baking during long cold winter night as well as for dinner recipes. But this is a subject of a different post.

Now, chocolate always goes good with raspberries. It's a classic combination. That's why to this adapted chocolate waffles recipe I added frozen berries during frying. Frozen berries is another to go item during winter. It's a perfect reminder of warm summer and I try to freeze them myself. Another reminder of sunny summer days is my home made jam. And I used it here too. I took a cup of raspberry jam and simmered it with a 1/2 cup of water to make raspberry syrup to cover out waffles: combine water and jam in the sauce pot and bring to boil stirring constantly; turn down the heat to low and let simmer uncovered while you cook waffles--by then it'll get thick enough to pour over waffles.

Here it is--another addition to my Tutti-Frutti Breakfast collection. You know, chocolate is a fruit too!

Chocolate Raspberry Waffles

WET

3 large whole eggs, beaten

1/2 stick (2 oz) unsalted butter, melted or 1/3 cup light vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups (16 oz) buttermilk at room tº

DRY

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 Tablespoons white sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 /2 teaspoon salt

1 cup frozen raspberries (slightly thawed)

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup (8 oz jar) raspberry jam/preserves

1/2 cup water

1. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacture's directions.

2. Mix WET ingredients in one bowl adding the buttermilk last

3. Mix DRY ingredients in another bowl

4. Combine two together and whisk until all incorporated and stir in chocolate chips. Let the batter stand a little bit.

5. Ladle the recommended amount of the batter onto the hot iron (I use the square one and ladle 1/4 cup per waffle), add about half a dozen raspberries, close iron and cook until the waffle is crispy on both sides (usually the iron beeps or turns off the light when the waffle is done)

6. Serve with some whipped cream, raspberry syrup (see instructions above) and more chocolate chips and raspberries.

You can also freeze the leftover waffles (never the batter) wrapped in aluminum foil for next morning to heat them in a toaster.