Fresh Strawberry Waffles with Caramel and Strawberry Dips

Hooray for June!  Strawberry Season is officially upon us!  I just adore strawberries, and especially home grown British berries!  In fact I only eat British berries and refuse to eat strawberries out of season.  There is nothing more gorgeous to eat then British berries and in all truth once you have feasted on them, no other strawberry comes close.  I don't want flavourless strawberries from Peru in January.  I want fresh Berries from Kent or my back garden here in Chester, in June and July!  End of.



Hold on to your socks because over the next few weeks I will be sharing as many delicious ways of eating these lovely berries with you that I can!  As I eat my fill of them I am going to be sharing with you all that I do with them, beginning here today with these delicious Fresh Strawberry Waffles served with Caramel and Strawberry Dips!



There is a delightfully rich caramel dip . . . made with cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla and topped with sweet bits of fudge . . .  pretty to look at and oh so wonderful to dip these delicious crisp on the outside, soft on the inside stogged full of lovely bits of strawberry Finger waffles into!



And then there is a fresh and fruity strawberry dip, made with fresh berries . . .  try double dipping, for double the pleasure . . .



Served up with more fresh berries, also for dipping into both dips for a sensational breakfast or brunch!  Oh, this is so wonderful it would also make a fabulous dessert at one of your early summer barbecues!



I had actually planned on making heart shaped waffles, but somebody accidentally took my heart shaped waffle baker to the charity shop a few months back, but we won't mention any names.  I spent hours searching for it on Saturday to no avail.  I then checked to see if I could get another one and found this brilliant finger waffle maker at Argos for a pretty good price.



They went down a real treat with the Toddster, and I do confess, I had a difficult time keeping my passions in control and made a bit of a pig of myself with them too!



But what's a gal to do!  It's strawberry season, and I am very weak . . .  and these dang waffles were just so very tasty!  And the dips . . . wowsa!  I have made the caramel dip before to go with fruit . . . but with these waffles . . .  it made them positively irresistible!  I do hope you'll give them a go!  Yes, I did eat some fruit on the side as well . . . fruit is good for you.  ☺



*Fresh Strawberry Waffles with Caramel and Strawberry Dips*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe

I used my waffle baker which bakes finger waffles for this for ease of dipping, but you can bake regular waffles and cut them into strips, or even bake heart shaped waffles and top them with the dips for eating.  Don't forget to serve some  fresh berries along side as they love these dips too!  This makes a fab weekend Brunch dish!!  

For the Waffles:

280g of plain flour (2 cups)

405 ml of whole milk (1 3/4 cups)

2 large free range eggs, whites and yolks separated

4 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 TBS sugar

110ml of melted coconut oil (1/2 cup, you may use sunflower oil if you wish)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

about 8 large berries, wiped, hulled and chopped

For the caramel dip:

1 225g tub of cream cheese ( 1 cup)

100g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)

50g of  castor sugar (1/4 cup)

1 tsp vanilla pure extract

1 TBS milk or cream

fudge bits to garnish

For the berry dip:

300g of fresh strawberries, sliced (2 cups)

100g of castor sugar

110ml of water

Fresh strawberries to garnish and dip  

First make the strawberry dip.   Add the berries, sugar and water to a medium saucepan.  Bring to the boil over medium low heat.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.  Blitz until smooth in a blender.  Pour into a bowl, cover with cling film and chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or overnight.

Next make the caramel dip.   Whisk together the cream cheese, both sugars, vanilla and cream until you have a smooth well combined mixture.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  

To make the waffles sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.   Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until light.  Whisk in the coconut butter and milk.  Whisk the egg yolks until stiff.   Stir the flour into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.   Fold in the egg whites.  Gently fold in the berries.  Bake the waffles in your waffle maker according the directions for your particular waffle maker.  Mine I just spritz with oil spray and then bake the waffles until the green light goes out!  I used one that bakes finger waffles.  Keep the waffles warm in a low oven until all your waffles are baked.  

Scrape some of the caramel dip into a serving bowl.  Garnish with the fudge bits and put in the centre of an oval platter.   Scrape the strawberry dip into another bowl and sit on the platter beside the caramel dip.   Arrange the waffle fingers around the dips and pass a bowl of fresh clean strawberries, un-hulled, for dipping as well.  

Alternately if you are baking regular sized waffles, you can serve them topped with a dollop of each dips, a sprinkle of the fudge bits and some berries on the side.  

  

Don't worry if you are unable to bake these waffles in a finger shaped waffle baker, they work just fine in regular bakers as well, and you can cut the square waffles down into fingers, or you can cut the large heart shaped or round shaped ones into quarters.  All would be just as much fun and just as delicious!

I have entered this recipe into the Rix Seasonal Recipe Competition for June.  This months ingredient was strawberries.