Chocolate Amaretti Heartbreakers

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 3 large double amaretti cookies (or 6 amaretti from 3 paper-wrapped packets)
• 2 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa (preferably dutch process)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 eggs
• slivered almonds (for garnish)
• confectioners' sugar (optional)
• amaretto, sweetened (optional)
• whipped cream (optional) or regular sweetened whipped cream, with (optional)
• slivered almonds (optional)
• ice cream (optional)
• hot fudge (optional)

Recipe

• 1 place the amaretti and bittersweet chocolate in the work bowl of a food processor or in a blender and process until pulverized; set aside.
• 2 preheat a waffle iron. if you’d like to serve the waffles warm, preheat an oven to 350°f.
• 3 melt the butter; set aside.
• 4 in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar and cocoa.
• 5 in another bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla, almond extract and eggs until well blended.
• 6 pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with the whisk to combine.
• 7 fold in the amaretti-chocolate mixture and the melted butter.
• 8 lightly butter or spray the grids of the waffle iron, if needed.
• 9 brush or spray the grids again only if subsequent waffles stick.
• 10 spoon out 1/3 cup of batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions) onto the hot iron.
• 11 use a metal spatula or wooden spoon to spread the batter evenly over the grids.
• 12 close the lid and bake until just set.
• 13 bake these slightly less than you do other waffles because chocolate has a tendency to burn easily.
• 14 there’s no need to worry, but you do want to keep an eye on these.
• 15 transfer the finished waffles to a cooling rack while you make the rest.
• 16 if desired, just before serving, warm the waffles briefly, about 2 minutes, in the oven.
• 17 they’re good at room temperature, too.
• 18 to serve:
• 19 you can present a full five-of-hearts to each person, shaking a dusting of confectioners’ sugar over the entire waffle and then scooping some amaretto whipped cream or ice cream onto the center.
• 20 hot fudge sauce is both luscious and luxurious over these.
• 21 broken into individual hearts and filled with ice cream, these make fabulous sandwiches.
• 22 makes about 10 full five-of-hearts or about six 6 1/2-inch round waffles.