Hazelnut-chocolate Waffle Cone Recipe

Prepare batter

In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, hazelnut meal, baking powder, and fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate bowl or measuring cup beat the eggs lightly, then whisk in the whole milk, melted unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and light corn syrup until smooth.

Make smooth batter

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are okay. The batter should be thick but pourable—if it seems too thick, add up to 1–2 tablespoons additional milk.

Heat waffle cone iron

Preheat a waffle-cone iron or pizzelle/waffle maker for thin waffles on medium-high heat. Lightly brush or spray with neutral oil if the manufacturer recommends.

Cook

Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of batter (adjust amount by your iron size) onto the center of the hot iron and close. Cook until the waffle is set, edges are crisp, and surface is matte, about 40–70 seconds depending on your iron. Check the first one to determine exact timing.

Roll into cones

Working quickly while the waffle is warm and pliable, lift it from the iron with a spatula, fold one edge to the center and begin rolling around a cone former or the handle of a wooden spoon to form a tight cone. Seal the seam by brushing a tiny amount of melted chocolate or water along the edge, or pinch gently. Place cone seam-side down in a cone rack or an inverted muffin tin to cool and harden.

Repeat and store

Repeat cooking and rolling with remaining batter. Allow cones to cool completely; store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to keep crisp.

Warm cream

Place the chopped milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles form at the edge — do not boil.

Make ganache

Pour the hot cream over the chopped milk chocolate. Let sit undisturbed for 1–2 minutes to soften the chocolate. Then gently stir from the center outward with a spatula until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Add the neutral oil (or clear corn syrup), cold butter cubes, hazelnut paste (if using), and fine sea salt and stir until fully incorporated and glossy. The oil/corn syrup and butter stabilize and add shine to the ganache.

Cool and whip

Let the ganache cool at room temperature until it thickens to a spreadable but still soft consistency, about 30–45 minutes depending on room temperature. For a lighter texture, transfer the ganache to a chilled bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until it becomes a light, whipped consistency (soft peaks), about 2–4 minutes. If you prefer a denser filling, allow it to cool further and stir by hand until spreadable.

Adjust consistency

If the whipped ganache is too loose to pipe, chill it in the refrigerator in short bursts (5–10 minutes), then re-whip briefly until desired consistency is reached. If too stiff, warm gently over a bowl of warm water and stir to soften slightly.

Fill cones

Spoon or pipe the milk chocolate whipped ganache into cooled waffle cones just before serving. For neat presentation, use a piping bag fitted with a wide round or star tip. Leave a little space at the top if you plan to dip or garnish.

Dip rim

If using, melt the additional chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in short bursts, stirring frequently until smooth. Dip the top rim of each cone into the melted chocolate and let excess drip off.

Garnish

Immediately sprinkle the dipped rim with toasted chopped hazelnuts so they stick to the melted chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set completely on a rack (about 10–15 minutes) before filling if you want a crisp chocolate rim.

Serve

Fill the cones with the milk chocolate whipped ganache and serve immediately, or chill filled cones briefly to firm the ganache. Store any leftover ganache refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days; gently re-whip before using if it has separated.