Chocolate Chip Belgian Waffles

Chocolate chip Belgian waffles. Big, fluffy waffles studded with chocolate chips. Sunday morning brunch never tasted so good... and it never looked so pretty, either.

Ever realize how important a simple garnish is? Where I don't often garish our dinner plates in my own home, I expect when going out to a restaurant that there will be some type of presentation. It brings the dish together, can add color, and overall makes the final product look more professional.

We tried a new place that just opened last Wednesday, that I won't name quite yet in hopes that on the second try they pull me in, the other night. It advertises a Cajun menu and a rock-and-roll themed atmosphere. The building has been a longstanding dive bar in my local community and it went under earlier this year. When it was purchased by the new owners and the theme and menu style were announced I was very excited (I do love me some Cajun) just to be very underwhelmed at our first dining experience there.

Handsome ordered a blackened chicken (no tomato) over pasta and I ordered an andouille sandwich with a po-boy sauce. His plate was just that - blackened chicken over a pasta. No onion or pepper or vegetable of any kind. No sprinkle of parsley. No sprinkle of fresh cheese. Nope. Chicken over pasta - very dry chicken at that. My sandwich was a diced andouille (which may just be my personal opinion but dicing a sausage for a sandwich means that not every bite will have meat - just the lucky ones - so I am not a fan of diced sausage. Id rather it still be long and split down the center - insert JJ's laughter here). It was slathered in cheese and lacked the po-boy sauce all together. I was a sad panda.

The place was only 3 days old at the time of my first experience, so I will be giving them another try with hope. Please don't assume I'm waiving my snobby 'foodie' nose in the air, because I'm not. I just had high hopes for a new Cajun restaurant in town and was very let down by the food.

If you want to try good Cajun food in the mean time, try my recipe for New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice.

OK. Back to the Sunday morning breakfast of champions.

To celebrate this beautifully cool and breezy Sunday morning, I made Belgian waffles with chocolate chips on the inside, and the outside for garnish.

Chocolate Chip Belgian Waffles

from Chocolate Chip Belgian Waffles - Grace's Sweet Life

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour, sifted twice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted twice
• 10 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or bitter-sweet

Preparation:

Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl.  Sift one additional time.  Using a whisk, stir to combine well.  Set aside.
Place the eggs and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until quite pale.
Add the vegetable oil and butter and continue to beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.  Add the vanilla extract and beat just to combine.
Reduce to speed to low and gradually add flour, beat to just combine.  Do not over-mix!
Using a large spatula, fold in chocolate chips.
Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray.  Using a ladle, pour enough batter in iron to just cover waffle grid.  Close and bake following manufacturer’s instructions until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

These Belgian waffles were good, but Handsome and I clearly have different taste when it comes to breakfast food. He wants everything thin and I like thick and fluffy. >.< Then again, I don't really care for breakfast, so I guess I'll just start working my way through crepe recipes. Ha.