Homemade Chocolate Waffle Cones

In the words of the soca singer Alphonsus "Arrow" Cassell I'm feeling hot hot hot, feeling hot hot hot; hear it from the top feeling hot, hear it from the top feeling HOT! Although unlike the song the last thing I want to do is party in this heat, instead I'd settle for sitting in a cold bath eating ice cream! I am obsessed with Maggie Beer's Burnt Fig, Honeycomb and Caramel ice cream which I will happily eat from the tub, unfortunately without some form of portion control I will happily eat my way through the whole tub, such is its deliciousness. Enter the Ice Cream Cone. Bowls come in many sizes but ice cream in a cone is limited to the size of the cone, and these chocolate ones are perfect mini-cones.

I have wanted to make my own cones for ages but thought they would be too difficult, or involve fancy equipment/ techniques. Then I stumbled across the amazing Kathy Strahs and her blog "Panini Happy" who uses a panini press to make ice cream cones (along with so many other things), well, I was hooked. I already love grilling eggplant with my sandwich press but now have ice cream cones to add to its uses (along with the obvious cheese toasty). I have used my own recipe which is a cross between a chocolate brownie in flavour and a waffle in texture. If you eat the cone as a biscuit you will think it's not sweet enough but paired with the ice cream it is perfect! It literally takes seconds to cook and the size of your cone is limited to the size of your sandwich press, hence the mini cone as my press is small. My sandwich press is flat on the bottom, with the straight ridges on the top and I have varied the technique to press one way, then rotate 90 degrees and do a second pressing to get the diamond shape on the cone. Don't put too much batter on the press or it will ooze out the sides, you will know after the first cone if you need to use more or less for your press.

 

NB: the cones in the pictures are double cones (one sitting inside another one).

Ingredients (makes 24 small cones based on a heaped teaspoon of mixture, adjust according to your sandwich press); it also halves easily if you really don't need 24 small cones!:

• 100 grams sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 80 grams butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon corn flour
• 110 grams plain flour
• 40 grams cocoa powder (I like Dutch processed cocoa powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

You will also need a sandwich press (with ridges) and a 'cone shape' made of cardboard to shape your cones around.

Method:

1. whisk together sugar and eggs until they form a smooth paste
2. add the milk, melted butter and vanilla essence and whisk until frothy
3. sift dry ingredients together into the wet mix, then whisk until well combined and smooth
4. turn on your sandwich/ panini press and heat until the 'ready' light comes on
5. spoon a heaped teaspoon of mix onto the middle of the press and close the lid (gently the first time, until you know you have the right amount of mixture for your press) and cook for 15 seconds
6. lift the lid and turn the flattened batter 90 degrees then close the lid again and cook for a further 30 - 40 seconds
7. remove from press with an egg flip and place flat side up on plate, put the cone shape to one side of the length of cooked batter and roll to form a cone, pinching the end (so the ice cream doesn't melt out the bottom). Watch your fingers as the batter will be hot, but don't wait too long or the batter will cool and then won't roll. Place on a drying rack to cool
8. repeat with the remaining batter, once cool these will store in an airtight container for a couple of days 
9. once cool fill with your favourite ice cream and enjoy!