Chocolate Dessert Waffles

Delicious chocolate waffles served with a homemade hot fudge sauce and your choice of three yummy toppings.

Recipe Ingredients:

Waffles:
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Hot Fudge Sauce:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5-ounce can) evaporated milk
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Dessert Cream:
1 cup cold whipping cream
1/3 cup strawberry preserves
3 drops red food color (optional)

Apple-Cinnamon Topping:
1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Peach-Nutmeg Topping:
1 (21-ounce) can peach pie filling
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cooking Directions:

1. For Waffles: Stir cocoa and butter in bowl until smooth; stir in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to cocoa mixture.
3. Stir in nuts, if desired.
4. Bake in waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Carefully remove waffle from iron.
5. Serve warm with Hot Fudge Sauce and Strawberry Dessert Cream, Apple-Cinnamon Topping or Peach-Nutmege Topping.
6. For Hot Fudge Sauce: Combine sugar and cocoa in small saucepan; stir in evaporated milk and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring until butter is melted. Serve warm. Makes about 1 3/4 cups sauce.
7. For Strawberry Dessert Cream: Beat whipping cream in small bowl until stiff. Fold in strawberry preserves and red food color, if desired. Makes about 2 cups topping.
8. For Apple-Cinnamon Topping: Heat apple pie filling, butter and cinnamon in small saucepan until warm.
9. For Peach-Nutmeg Topping: Heat peach pie filling and nutmeg in small saucepan until warm.

Makes about 10 (4-inch) waffles.

*To sour milk: Use 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 1/2 cup.

Note: Leftover waffles can be frozen; thaw in toaster on low heat.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens, and reprinted with permission of The Hershey Company. © The Hershey Company.