Karl’s Cinnamon Waffles

Adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe

I woke up this morning thinking, “Waffles!” As much as I like to cook, breakfasts have not been a high priority for me. My secret sin is that my morning pancakes and have always come from a box. Recently, I learned how easy pancakes and waffles from scratch were to make. Today, I thought about using cinnamon in the waffles and topping them with a fruit compote.

Karl’s Cinnamon Waffles

Ingredients

1¼ cup AP flour
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder (aluminum free, preferred)
½ tsp. Kosher salt

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs
1 cup milk (I use low-fat lactose-free)
½ tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt thoroughly in a medium bowl.

Tip: I run the mix through a flour sifter several times to get a good mix.

2. Melt the butter in a small cup and drizzle it over the flour mixture.

Tip: Put the butter in a microwave safe custard cup and zap it for 20-30 seconds.

Note: Keep an eye out during the last few seconds, so that the butter does not boil over.

3. Use a spatula—or your fingers—to work the butter into the flour.

 Tip: By working the butter in, it binds with the flour and reduces its ability to form gluten. This gives you a more tender waffle.

Note:  This reduces the likeliness of “over working your batter. (See the note below.)

4.  Put the eggs in a large one cup measure and lightly scramble it with one quarter cup of the milk.

Tip: If you are not watching your weight, you may replace some of the milk with half and half.

5. Stir the rest of the milk and the vanilla into the measuring cup.

6. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the milk/egg mixture into the depression.

7. Whisk the ingredients together until there is no dry flour showing.

Tip: This is a bit tricky. You want to thoroughly mix the dry and wet ingredients, but you do not want to over work your batter. This would produce too much gluten and make your pancakes tough. Once you have only a few small lumps, stop.

8. Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes.

Tip: This gives the flour time to fully absorb the liquid.

9. Plug in the waffle iron and let it heat up.

Tip: I am using a non-stick electric waffle iron. If you are using an old-fashioned stove waffle irn you may need to lightly Pam it and heat it over medium high heat. Wipe away most of the Pam with a paper towel, you want the merest smear of oil on your iron.

10. Spoon the batter over the waffle iron and close the lid.

Tip: About a quarter cup of batter fills my iron, but waffle irons come in many different shapes and sizes.

Note: The batter expands while it is cooking to fill many of the gaps in the waffle iron. Do not pour the batter all the way to the edge of the cooking surface—it will expand over the lip and drip all over your counter. I leave about a one inch gap on all sides of the waffle iron.

11. My waffle iron is “idiot-proof,” when the light turns green the waffle is done.

12. Use a fork to lift the waffle out of the iron, and transfer it to a wire rack.

Tip: Laying the waffles on a flat surface will make the bottoms go soggy, as the steam comes out of the fresh waffle.

Note: To keep them warm, you may place the wire rack on a lipped baking sheet and put them in a warmed oven. Do not leave the oven on, or it will dry them out.

13. Continue making waffles until you run out of batter.

Note: This recipe produces about 5-6 8-inch waffles.

14. Serve the waffles warm, with butter and/or your favorite toppings.

Note: I served mine with Asian pear compote.