Sunday, May 08, 2011

Contemplating Waffles

Waffles
I still have not fully Conquered the Waffle. You know, found that one recipe that puts any other waffle to shame. The one that is crispy and tender and flavorful and stands up to fruit and whipped cream and syrup and anything else you might pour on top of it.

I went searching online this morning. One of my favorite internet searches to do when looking for a good recipe is just to add the word "best" to anything. So I found a post on SeriousEats.com called The Greatest Waffle Recipe Ever but I had been hoping for something with buttermilk. As I read the comments, several people said that the key was folding in whipped egg whites, and several mentioned a recipe from Cook's Illustrated. That is the recipe I made, although Cook's Illustrated's site tends to lock down until you have a paid account. So I will help you out and link you to what looks like half of the recipe in a comment in the blog.

A few of my comments, and why I think I am not quite to the best waffle yet. I did like the slight crunch of the cornmeal, but this added a savory element that reminded me of the Creamed Mushrooms on Cornmeal Waffles recipe I made over on my somewhat neglected cooking blog. I loved that recipe, in fact seeing it makes me want to make it again, but I'm just not sure I want that getting in my head when I'm eating a sweet waffle. Another comment said you have to add vanilla, so I did at the end of the waffle making, and honestly I'm torn. Vanilla automatically makes it sweet and aromatic, but it may throw off the balance a little.

I think I may have thrown everything off from an authentic tasting anyway by storing them in a 200F oven while I baked them all. That always is a downfall of waffles, the fact that only one can be made at a time.

So tell me your waffle tricks and favorite recipes!

2 comments:

  1. My mom's got a Betty Crocker cookbook from the 70's (big binder book) that has a fantastic waffle recipe. I've found, though, that for waffles, the waffle iron matters as much as the recipe itself. I got my mom a nice waffle iron last year for either Mother's Day or her birthday...I'm wishing I had bought one for myself!

    Also, this recipe for "Light and Crispy Waffles" was in this week's Test Kitchen newsletter. It's not locked down for now, the recipe looks interesting--I may give it a go next time I make waffles. http://www.cookscountry.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=3551&bdc=42612&Extcode=L1EN1BA00

    Last night for Mother's Day dinner, my sister and I made creamed chicken and served them over a choice of either cornmeal waffles with scallions and jalapenos or the Betty Crocker buttermilk waffles.

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  2. Mmmmm. We haven't gotten a waffle iron in this country as they're a bit pricey. This, though ... makes me wish for a waffle iron.

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