Chocolate and Vanilla Wafers

Chocolate and Vanilla Wafers are a crisp, delicate homemade wafer with beautiful chocolate and vanilla swirls. These light rolled wafers are wonderfully crunchy and make the perfect accompaniment to tea, coffee, ice cream or desserts. Although they look elegant, they are surprisingly simple to make once you master rolling them while they are still warm.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings Wafers

Ingredients

125 g plain flour
75 g caster sugar
250 ml whole milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil plus a little for greasing
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 pinch salt

Instructions

Place the flour, caster sugar and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk together.
125 g plain flour, 75 g caster sugar, 1 pinch salt
Gradually pour in the milk while whisking continuously until a smooth, lump-free batter forms.
250 ml whole milk
Add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract, then whisk until fully combined. The batter should be similar in consistency to a thin crêpe batter.
2 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract
Divide the batter equally between two bowls.
Sift the cocoa powder into one bowl and whisk until smooth, creating the chocolate batter.
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Lightly grease a non-stick frying pan and heat it over a low to medium heat.
Spoon each batter into separate piping bags, or use two small spoons or pastry brushes.
Pipe or drizzle alternating thin swirls of vanilla and chocolate batter directly onto the warm pan to create a single thin wafer approximately 15–18cm across. Keep the layer as thin and even as possible.
Cook for 1–2 minutes until the surface is dry and the underside is lightly golden. Avoid overcooking, as the wafer should remain flexible enough to roll.
Carefully lift the wafer with a thin spatula.
Immediately wrap it tightly around a chopstick, wooden skewer or thin metal rod while it is still hot.
Hold the wafer in place for several seconds until it begins to set.
Gently slide out the chopstick and place the rolled wafer onto a cooling rack.
Repeat with the remaining batter, lightly greasing the pan whenever necessary.
Allow the wafers to cool completely before serving. As they cool they will become beautifully crisp.

Equipment

mixing bowls
Measuring jug
Whisk
Fine sieve
Non-stick frying pan or crêpe pan
Pastry Brush or piping bag
Spatula
Chopsticks wooden skewer or thin metal rod
Cooling rack

Notes

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with tea or freshly brewed coffee.

Pair with vanilla or chocolate ice cream.

Fill with whipped cream or chocolate mousse just before serving.

Use as an elegant garnish for cakes, cheesecakes or trifles.

Dust lightly with icing sugar for a simple finishing touch.

Tips:

Work with one wafer at a time, as they become brittle within seconds of leaving the pan.

Keep the batter thin to achieve a delicate crisp texture.

If a wafer cools before rolling, it will crack instead of curling.

A crêpe pan provides the most even cooking, but any quality non-stick frying pan works well.

Store completely cooled wafers in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain their crispness.

Variations:

Add a pinch of cinnamon to the chocolate batter.

Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract for a different flavour.

Drizzle cooled wafers with melted dark or white chocolate.

Sprinkle finely chopped toasted hazelnuts or pistachios over the chocolate drizzle.

Add a little orange zest to the vanilla batter for a refreshing citrus note.

Nutrition