Easy Waffles for a Perfect Breakfast

 


Growing up, I'd always heard Mom talk about the delicious, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside treats called waffles, that she loved while she was in Belguim. And it had always been one of things I'd wanted to try, but never could, they weren't available here in India. Many years later, we found waffles at a quaint little shop in Mahabaleshwar, a tourist destination, and a lovely place. I still remember the happiness I felt, even though they weren't really all that. In the past few years, waffles have become a regular snack, available almost everywhere. But I still, always, wanted to make them at home, to enjoy them as soon as I wake up, without having to take a bath, get ready, and go out for them.


I recently won a copy of Waffles from Morning to Midnight by Dorie Greenspan, from a wonderful blogger, Kate, who seems to have stopped blogging since a while. And that's where I had my chance. I bought a waffle iron, even though it isn't really a quality purchase, it was the only option I had, plus, it was cheap. And I've been on the waffle route ever since. It took me a few tries, but I've finally got the hang of it. And I made these perfectly crunchy, soft, sweet but just so waffles. I love eating these, first thing in the morning. Yes, I'm on vacation, so I have a lot of free time in the mornings :). I've tried all kinds of toppings on it, here's a list of some you could try -

1. Jams and jellies - Fruit jams, especially apricot go well.
2. Syrups - Honey, maple syrup, pancake syrup, or anything you want, really.
3. Nutella!! [my favorite]
4. Plain ol' butter
5. Bacon :D
6. Fruits - simply cut up, such as mixed berries, mangoes, or cooked with a flavoring to soften, such as apple with cinnamon.
7. Ice cream, or whipped cream. Yum!

This is just a basic list, you could list your favorite toppings in the comments, so that I can make a more comprehensive list!


On to the recipe -


Classic Waffles
Adapted from Waffles from Morning to Midnight
Makes about four 6 1/2 inch round waffles -I got 5


2 tbsp butter
1 cup [120 g] flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt - Omit if using salted butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup [240 g] milk
1 large egg


Instructions -

1. Preheat you waffle iron. If you want to hold the finished waffles until serving time, preheat your oven to 200 F [90 C].
2. Melt the butter in a small bowl. Allow to come to room temperature. In a small bowl, mix together the milk and the egg. Keep aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stir until incorporate. Mix in the melted butter.
4. Lightly spray or butter your iron, if required. Pour out about 1/2 cup batter, or as specified in your iron's instructions, and cook until steam is no longer released from the iron, and the waffle is brown and crisp.
5. Serve immediately, on keep them on a rack in the heated oven in a single layer to hold them for a while.