Tag Archives: waffles

May 18, 2011 · 10:42 am

Waffle Week: Overnight Yeast Raised Waffles

Waffles made with yeast are a great alternative to traditional waffles. They have a slightly tangy flavor and are much lighter than many regular waffle recipes. Yeast raised waffles do require some forethought, as the batter needs to be made the night before, and left to proof on the countertop overnight. Be sure to use a big bowl as the batter will rise significantly.

Some of my kids did not enjoy these waffles as much, but I really liked them. They thought the yeast flavor was a little too pronounced. In typical completely inconsistent fashion, however, they did really enjoy the Sourdough Waffles that I made, which also sit overnight and have a tangy (but less-yeasty) taste. (RECIPE TOMORROW)

For Waffle Tips & Strategies, click HERE.

RECIPE:

Overnight Yeast Raised Waffles

Servings: 12
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2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs sugar
1 ½ tsp instant yeast or rapid rise yeast
1 tsp salt
1 ¾ cups warm whole milk (110°F)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk the flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a large bowl, then gradually whisk in the warm milk and melted butter until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Heat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Spread the appropriate amount of batter (I use a scant 2 cups in mine) onto the waffle iron and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. **Use less batter than you normally do: this batter rises significantly while cooking.

Remove waffles from waffle maker and place on a wire rack (not a plate). Serve immediately or keep warm in a warm oven (very low heat).

Makes about 3 large Belgian waffles (12 small squares)

To freeze: Cool waffles on a wire rack. Place in Ziploc bags and freeze. Reheat individual frozen waffles in a toaster (for crispier edges) or microwave (for a soft waffle).

Recipe from Cooks Illustrated

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Waffle Week: Banana Nut Bread Waffles

These waffles taste just like banana bread, laced with cinnamon and finely chopped nuts. And some great deep pockets just begging for Vanilla Buttermilk Syrup (recipe HERE). These waffles are one of our family’s favorites! Your kitchen will smell divine for the rest of the day.

For Waffle Tips & Strategies, click HERE.

RECIPE:

Banana Nut Bread Waffles

Servings: 12-16
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2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups buttermilk or sour milk**
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
4 Tbs butter, melted
¾ cup walnuts, chopped

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg yolks. Mix well. Stir in bananas and melted butter.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter. Fold in chopped nuts.

Use a ladle or measuring cup to pour batter evenly into hot waffle maker (about 2 cups for the 4 small Belgian waffles in my waffle maker). Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or according to directions on your waffle maker. Remove waffles from waffle maker and place on a wire rack (not a plate). Serve immediately or keep warm in a warm oven (very low heat).

Makes 3-4 large Belgian waffles (12-16 small squares)

**To make sour milk: add 2 Tbs lemon juice to a 2 cup measuring cup, fill to 1 ½ cup line with milk (whole milk works best). Stir; let sit 5 minutes before using. If using sour milk, add an additional 1-2 Tbs flour to batter.

To freeze: Cool waffles on a wire rack. Place in Ziploc bags and freeze. Reheat individual frozen waffles in a toaster (for crispier edges) or microwave (for a soft waffle).

Recipe adapted from Willow Bird Baking

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Vanilla Buttermilk Syrup

Servings: Makes about 2 cups
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1 ½ cups white or brown sugar (I use half white, half brown)
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 Tbs dark corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped**

Combine sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, baking soda, salt, and vanilla bean (both seeds and split pod) in a large pot (mixture will increase drastically in volume while cooking from the reaction between buttermilk and baking soda. Use a LARGE pot: soup pot size). Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until syrup is a light golden brown. Remove from heat. Remove and discard vanilla bean pod. Serve warm.

Store in refrigerator. Syrup will thicken to a soft caramel consistency in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

Serve over Waffles, Pancakes, Ice Cream, or anywhere you would use a caramel sauce.

** You can substitute 1 tsp vanilla extract for the vanilla bean, if desired. Stir vanilla extract into syrup AFTER cooking and removing from heat.

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Waffle Week: Brown Sugar Buttermilk Waffles

For Valentines Day, I got a new waffle maker. I have been without a waffle maker for more than ten years, and didn’t think that I was really missing out on anything. Waffles are just glorified, more-effort-involved pancakes, right? I was so wrong! So I must thank my kids for conspiring to get me this new waffle iron! I love it!

I do have to admit that Little J was leery of the first waffles that I made. “These are burnt. And square.” she said. I replied that they weren’t burnt; they were supposed to be that color. She insisted, however, that “real waffles are supposed to be yellow. And round.” (Think Eggo). Poor child: she had never eaten a homemade waffle, only an artificially colored imitation. I am glad to say that after her first bite, she was converted. She is still less convinced about the homemade syrups. She keeps asking when I am going to buy some more “real syrup.” Until then she is sticking to fruit and whipped cream toppings.

For the last couple of months, I have tried more than a dozen new waffle recipes (and some great waffle toppings), and I am finally ready to share some family favorites.

The first recipe is a traditional buttermilk waffle recipe, made with separated eggs (with the egg whites beaten until stiff). The whipped egg whites make for great air pockets in these crispy waffles with a soft, tender center. This is a great basic recipe for everyday waffles.

buttermilk waffles sep eggs (15)-1

A few Basic Waffle Tips & Strategies that I have learned these last 3 months:

Make sure that your waffle iron is very hot. Cool iron = lots of sticking. My new Calphalon waffle iron is non-stick and does not require any oil or spray to keep the waffles from sticking.

Don’t overfill the waffle maker pockets. Spillage is not fun to clean. Start with a scant amount of batter on the first few waffles, until you are sure of the right amount. Different recipes will rise more or less while cooking, so don’t think that the same amount of batter will work with different recipes.

Once your batter is mixed, do not keep stirring batter between batches. The air pockets in the batter (from the baking powder/soda or whipped egg whites) will collapse with over-stirring.

Use a ladle or measuring cup (1/2 cup size works well for my waffle maker) to scoop batter. This minimizes the stirring or pouring which will deflate your batter.

If you are using add-ins like blueberries or chocolate chips, sprinkle them on the batter in the waffle iron (instead of in the batter in the bowl); then use a heat-safe rubber spatula (or the back of your ladle) to move some batter over the berries/chips so that they don’t stick to the top plate of the waffle maker. If stirred into the batter in the bowl, these heavier items tend to sink, requiring more stirring, which will deflate your batter.

Cool waffles on a wire cookie sheet, not a plate. Letting the air circulate around the waffles will keep them from getting soggy.

If you are not serving the waffles immediately, place the wire cooling rack in a warm oven (200°F or lower) until ready to serve.

Waffles are great for making in large batches and freezing in Ziploc bags for busy mornings. Reheat in the toaster to maintain crispy edges.

Buttermilk substitute: Place 1 Tbs lemon juice in a one cup measure; add milk to one cup line. Stir; let sit for 5-10 minutes before using. Or try dried buttermilk powder that stores in the fridge. Or use kefir.

Oil (in the batter) makes for crispier waffles; melted butter makes for softer, more cake-like waffles. I prefer using oil in most recipes. Use a mild flavored oil.

RECIPE:

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Waffles (Separated Eggs)

Servings: 12
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2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ¾ cups buttermilk or sour milk**
3 Tbs brown sugar
4 Tbs oil or melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, brown sugar, oil or melted butter, vanilla, and egg yolks. Mix well.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter.

Makes 3 large Belgian waffles (12 small squares)

**To make sour milk: add 2 Tbs lemon juice to a 2 cup measuring cup, fill to 1 ¾ cup line with milk (whole milk works best). Stir; let sit 5 minutes before using. If using sour milk, add an additional 1-2 Tbs flour to batter.

To freeze: Cool waffles on a wire rack. Place in Ziploc bags and freeze. Reheat individual frozen waffles in a toaster (for crispier edges) or microwave (for a soft waffle).

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman, How To Cook Everything

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Filed under Breads, Breakfast/Brunch

Tagged as air pockets, Belgian waffles, breakfast, buttermilk, Calphalon, crispy, dessert, freezing waffles, recipe, separated eggs, tender, tips, waffle iron, waffles, whipped egg whites