Berry Cheesecake Waffles

I frequently make pancakes and waffles come the weekend. I often use box mixes and routinely rotate through chocolate chips, mashed bananas and blueberries as fun mix-ins. But every now and then Saturday morning calls for something a little extra!

These waffles are stuffed, stuffed, stuffed full of creamy cheesecake and tart lemon curd and topped with warm berry compote. The sugary curd periodically peaks out making for extra crispy nooks and crannies giving way to fluffy waffle and tangy cheesecake goodness. No waffle is complete without some kind of syrup or sauce. So I topped these particular waffles with spoonfuls of thick berry compote swirled with maple syrup. YUM!

Admittedly, there are a few extra steps beyond simply whisking eggs and water into a waffle mix. Though both the cheesecake filling and berry compote are easily made in advance making the morning prep speedy quick! I've included my recipe for homemade waffle batter below, but you can also use a box mix in a pinch.

Berry Cheesecake Waffles

Ingredients

For the berry compote

· 10oz frozen mixed berries

· Zest of ½ lemon

· 1/3 cup maple syrup

· 1 tsp cornstarch

For the cheesecake filling

· 4oz cream cheese, softened

· 1 tbsp sour cream

· ¼ cup sugar

· Zest of ½ lemon

· 1 tsp vanilla extract

· 4oz lemon curd

For the waffle batter

· 4 eggs, separated

· 1 ¾ cup buttermilk

· 4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

· 1 tbsp vanilla extract

· 1 tsp almond extract

· 2 2/3 cup flour

· 2 tbsp sugar

· ½ tsp salt

· ½ tsp baking soda

· Whipped cream

For the berry compote…combine the berries, lemon zest and maple syrup in a small sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for another 4-5 minutes until the berries defrost and begin to burst. Sprinkle the corn starch over the top of the berries and stir until combined. Continue to cook the sauce for another 4-5 minutes over low heat until thickened. Keep the compote warm until ready to serve.

For the cheesecake filling… combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium bowl using a handmixer. Beat until smooth and creamy. Transfer the cream cheese filling to a piping bag. Similarly, spoon the lemon curd into a separate piping bag.

Preheat waffle iron.

For the waffle batter… whip the egg whites using a handmixer until stiff. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, and extracts. Sift the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda into the mixture. Fold until just combined.

Gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter taking care not to deflate the whites.

Snip the tips of each of the piping bags filled with cream cheese filling and lemon curd.

Grease the waffle iron with butter. Spoon a scant amount of the waffle batter into each well in the iron until just covering the waffle plates. Using the piping bags, drizzle a bit of the cheesecake mixture and lemon curb across each waffle. Spoon additional waffle batter over top of the filling. Close the iron and cook per waffle maker instructions. The waffles should be ready once you no longer see steam coming off the top of the iron.

Repeat with the remaining waffle batter.

Top the waffles with warm berry compote and a dollop of whipped cream.

Makes 8 4-in Belgian Waffles

Gluten Free Friendly!

I had greatest success with King Arthur gluten free flour blend.