When it comes to wafers and wafer bars, I can say, with my hand on my heart, that those are the first thing that disappears from my dessert platters. There is something so satisfying in the combination of the crunch and smoothness of the filling that simply makes them irresistible. And speaking of the crunch, the wafer layers themselves have varying intensities of crunchiness, which only adds to more satisfaction in every bite.
I honestly love them and consider them the epitome of traditional two-bite desserts. Incredibly simple and easy to prepare, they keep well even at room temperature, presuming your kitchen is not too hot, and they are a dream to transport and gift. Literally, the best of the best.
These feature one of my personal favourite combinations as of lately, vegan milk chocolate and almonds. Even though I am partial to dark chocolate, from time to time, something is just right for that second morning coffee.
If you are new to wafers, you can use a cake frame and close it tightly around the wafer sheet, to make sure the filling stays in place. That is purely optional, of course. Simply make sure that the side with the coarser pattern is facing up so all of those indentations get nicely filled up, and that is all.
The only advice I have about them is not to fill the wafer sheets when the filling is hot, as they will turn soggy and chewy, which is not pleasant; and if you believe your filling is a bit too runny for your liking, add a tablespoon or two more of ground biscuits. And of course, it goes without saying, if you like a bit of rum with this combination, feel free to add a tablespoon of dark rum or a teaspoon of rum flavouring, if serving these to children.
Ingredients
300 millilitres soy or almond milk
150 grams granulated sugar
200 grams vegan block butter, diced
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
150 grams vegan milk chocolate, chopped
200 grams ground toasted almonds
400 grams ground vegan vanilla biscuits
5 small wafer sheets (18x36 cm)
Preparation
Pour the soy milk into a heavy, deep pot, add in the sugar, diced vegan butter, vanilla, and almond extract, and place it over medium-high heat. Let everything melt together slowly, without coming to a boil. Once everything is melted, add in the vegan milk chocolate, and stir until melted, once again making sure it is not boiling.
As soon as everything is melted, remove it from the heat and add in the almonds. Mix them through well, and then add in the ground biscuits. Mix very well, either with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula, and leave it for about 10-15 minutes, so it can cool down. Stir it from time to time as it cools, so it cools down evenly.
Once barely lukewarm, place the first wafer sheet on the serving platter, coarser side up. If using a cake frame, close it around it. Add a quarter of the filling and spread it evenly. Add another wafter sheet in the same fashion, and continue stacking until everything is used up. Top with the fifth wafer sheet, press gently with both palms so everything sets, and then place something heavy on top, like a 1-litre carton of milk or a full 1-kg bag of sugar on top, so it sets firmly.
Place the platter somewhere cool, but not in the refrigerator, so they don’t get soggy. They are best after at least 8 hours, but you can slice them even after 4 hours if you are in a hurry. Yields 32 large wafer bars or up to 72 small ones.
