Buttermilk Waffles in my new belgian waffle iron...

Buttermilk Waffles

I love waffles!  I know, who doesn't love waffles...but seriously, they are awesome.  The little indentations holding butter and syrup so perfectly; they are fluffy and crisp all in the same bite, and did I mention the syrup and butter thing.

Well, I have not been able to make a waffle for the last 5 years...not because I had some random waffle block, "Alas I will never make another waffle again...I have lost all creativity and hate butter and syrup" (um NO)....not because I have random food allergy to butter (omg, even uttering the words makes me gasp in horror)...not because I have been banned from making waffles in several states (which would be funny, but not the case).  Its because I couldn't decide on a waffle iron to buy.

I left my first waffle iron at a Gateway Country in El Paso, TX.  Why you may ask...go ahead and ask it?  It may have been for the next sales associate to take on the task of Sunday breakfasts at the store (um, no)...it may have been the fact I wanted to leave behind something that would make the people at the store remember me, "oh yeah, didn't that chick use to make waffles on Sunday?" (probably not)...it may have been the fact the thing was getting too hot and wouldn't have lived past another year (ummm, well...).  The second waffle iron suffered the same fate, left behind in a foriegn country, alone and scared and over heating.

After years of waffle avoidance ("I can live with just making pancakes and french toast, I don't NEED waffles"..."I can get a waffle out, I don't NEED to make them at home"..."I can live with stealing waffles from my sister"), I finally broke down; I could not go another minute without my own Belgian waffle iron.  I think it was the lack of syrup butter well of the pancake or the fact that I tire of trying to sneak waffles out of my sister's home (btw...she makes a good waffle)...either way, I knew it was time to fill my breakfast void.  So last weekend I bought the All-Clad 2-square Waffle Maker.  

All-Clad 2-square Waffle Maker

I had looked at this waffle iron several times, it was a nice foot print for my uber small kitchen and the ratings were outstanding (maybe this waffle iron would not catch on fire after using it a year).  I decided to make waffles the next day, buttermilk waffles.  At that point, I fell for the little overflow container that connects to the back; the couple of Tbsp of batter that did end up squeezing out, did so in the container, not my counter.  The temperature stayed consistent and produced perfect golden brown waffles.  Cleanup was a easy too, partially because of its great non-stick plates and also due to this little overflow container.  This has been the best waffle iron purchase of my life!

All-Clad 2-square Waffle Maker

Buttermilk Waffles from the All-Clad recipe booklet 

For printable recipe, please click here

3 Eggs, separated
1 ¾ C Buttermilk
8 Tbsp (1 stick) Butter, melted
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
1 ¾ C AP Flour
1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt
⅓ C Sugar
Maple Syrup and Butter for serving

Preheat waffle iron on medium high heat. Preheat an oven to 200°.

** In a large bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.  Set aside.  In another large bowl, whisk the egg yolks.  Next whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla, blend well.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture; whisk together until smooth.  

**(No need to use an electric mixer on this part, a hand whisk is perfect for the task)

In another bowl using an electric hand mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Using a rubber spatula, fold 1 C of the egg whites into the batter, then careful fold in the remaining whites.

Pour about ⅓C of batter into each well of the waffle iron and close the lid. Cook the waffle until golden brown and crisp, about 5 min.  If you need to keep the waffles warm before serving, transfer the waffles to a wire rack set on a baking sheet (I used the pizza stone that is permanently in my oven) in the preheated oven.

Repeat to cook the remaining batter. Serve waffles hot with butter and syrup.  

 Makes twelve 4" waffles.

 

Buttermilk Waffles in my All-Clad 2-square Waffle Maker

Do you see how the waffle is holding the butter and syrup?

Buttermilk Waffles

How about a closer look...

Buttermilk Waffles

I had forgotten the joy I got out of making waffles.  The waffles came out perfectly and didn't stick an inch.  I also found that my ebelskiver turning tools did an excellent job of getting the waffle out of the waffle iron with out scraping the plates.

ebelskiver turning tools

I now see many a waffle in my future; heck, I may even stop raiding my sister's freezer for leftover waffles...nah!  ;-)

Enjoy the foods of your labor.  :-)