---

Dark Chocolate Waffles with Strawberries

½ c. butter, melted

¼ c, sugar

2 eggs, separated

½ tsp vanilla extract

3 oz. Bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

1 ½ c. flour

2 tsp. Salt (optional)

½ c. milk or ¾ c. buttermilk

Powdered sugar

Fresh strawberries, sliced and sweetened

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks, vanilla and cooled chocolate. Mix well. In separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and (salt, if using). Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture alternately with the mild, blending well with each addition. (If using buttermilk, which is thicker than milk, use a little more if necessary, to thin almost to a pouring consistency.) With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the batter.
Place about 1/3 cup batter in a hot waffle iron, close the cover and bake until the steaming stops: these waffles are dark so don’t judge doneness by the color. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with strawberry slices. Makes 5 to 6 waffles.

---

Belgian Waffles with Cherry Sauce

Cherry Sauce:

¼ c. Sugar

2 tsp Cornstarch

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

½ c. Orange juice

2 c. Sweet cherries, pitted and halved

1 tsp Grated orange peel

Sweetened whipped cream

Combine sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon; add orange juice, cherries and orange peel.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat; boil until thickened.
Serve warm cherry sauce over waffles; top with sweetened whipped cream.

Waffles:

2 c. Flour

2 tb. Sugar

1 ½ tsp Baking powder

½ tsp Salt 2 c. Milk

½ c. Melted butter/margarine

4 eggs, separated

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Combine milk, melted butter and egg yolks. Add to dry ingredients; stir just to moisten.
Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Bake in waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions.