Equipment
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Waffle Base
- 200 g gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 50 g almond flour, fine
- 10 g baking powder
- 2 g kosher salt
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 240 ml whole milk, room temperature
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 eggs, separated
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Cheesecake Mousse
- 150 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 120 ml heavy cream, very cold
- 40 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 ml vanilla extract
Caramelized Peaches
- 2 yellow peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 30 g brown sugar
- 1 g ground cinnamon
Toppings
- 120 g streaky bacon, certified gluten-free
- 150 g mixed fresh berries, washed and dried
- 30 ml maple syrup
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 956 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 94 g
- Fat
- 60 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 45 g
- Sodium
- 1108 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 28 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 214 mg
- Potassium
- 481 mg
- Calcium
- 386 mg
- Iron
- 2.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 30 mg
- Phosphorus
- 251 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 454 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.8 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.39 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.64 mg
- Niacin
- 2.9 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 186 g
- Alcohol
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the bacon in a cold frying pan and cook over medium heat until shatteringly crisp and the fat has rendered. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then crumble into coarse pieces once cooled.
In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until entirely smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two batches until homogenous. Cover and refrigerate.
Melt 20g of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the peach wedges, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook, tossing gently, until the peaches are tender and the sugar creates a thick, bubbling syrup.
Preheat the Belgian waffle iron. In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar. Make a well in the center and add the milk, melted butter, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined.
In a clean glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the waffle batter, taking care not to deflate the mixture. The batter should look light and slightly lumpy.
Pour half the batter into the preheated waffle iron. Cook according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 4 to 6 minutes, until steam stops escaping and the waffle is deep golden brown and crisp. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Place a warm waffle on a serving plate. Spoon generous dollops of the chilled cheesecake mousse over the top. Drape the warm caramelized peaches and their syrup over the mousse. Scatter the crumbled bacon and fresh berries across the entire dish. Serve immediately with optional maple syrup.
Chef's Notes
- Whipping the egg whites separately is a critical technique for gluten-free waffles. Without gluten to provide structure, the aerated egg whites provide the necessary lift for a fluffy interior.
- Almond flour in the base not only provides a richer flavor but helps counteract the grittiness sometimes found in commercial gluten-free flour blends by adding healthy fats.
- To ensure your bacon stays crispy against the wet ingredients, make sure you cook it slowly to render out all the fat. Drain it thoroughly before crumbling.
- Contrast is the secret to this dessert. Ensure the waffle and peaches are hot, the mousse is cold, and the bacon is crunchy. Serve it immediately before temperatures equalize.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store components separately; waffle will soften.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze waffle only. Do not freeze mousse or fresh berries.
Reheating: Toast waffle at 180°C/350°F until crisp before reassembling.
Troubleshooting
Cheesecake mousse is runny and won't hold its shape on the hot waffle.
Cause: Cream cheese was too warm, cream was not whipped to stiff enough peaks, or the mixture wasn't chilled long enough before assembling.
Fix: Place the mousse in the freezer for 10 minutes and re-whip briefly.
Prevention: Ensure heavy cream is icy cold before whipping, and chill the final mousse mixture for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.
Gluten-free waffle is dense and heavy.
Cause: Egg whites were deflated during the folding process, or the baking powder is expired.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked.
Prevention: Use a wide spatula to fold the whites gently using a bottom-to-top motion.
Cultural Context
The pairing of waffles with sweet and savory toppings has deep roots in American diner culture, famously exemplified by Chicken and Waffles. This dessert elevates that sweet-salty dynamic, substituting crispy fried chicken with shatteringly crisp bacon, and replacing traditional butter and syrup with sophisticated elements like cheesecake mousse and caramelized fruit.
