Belgian Yeast-Risen Waffles

A special welcome to new subscriber Magda. Great to have you here!



A special breakfast seems a perfect way to welcome the New Year. And if you love waffles, here’s one that’s not the usual kind: light, tasty Belgian Yeast-Risen Waffles.


What’s different about it? We often see what are being called Belgian Waffles. The problem is that those often are simply Belgian-style waffles that look like real Belgian waffles because they are large and have deep openings to hold toppings, but that are made with an American-style batter leavened with baking powder. A real Belgian waffle is made from a batter that is leavened with yeast, giving it a characteristic light texture. For this recipe, I’ve also used lemon or orange zest to give the waffles just a touch of tartness to complement the sweetness of the toppings, and beaten egg whites and some sparkling water to supplement that batter’s “fluff factor.” A bit of fat-free Greek yogurt enhances the flavor in a nice, healthy way. (Those last two ingredients are decidedly inauthentic for real Belgian waffles, but help keep the batter reduced-fat.)


So let’s heat up those waffle makers to ring in the new year right!


This recipe makes about eight 8” waffles.


Mix 1 package (0.25 ounce) of active dry yeast in 1 cup of warm (around 110 degrees) skim milk mixed with a teaspoon of honey or sugar. Let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes until creamy.


In a large bowl, sift together 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ cup sugar; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg.


Make a well in the dry ingredient mixture, and add 2 egg-substitute eggs; ¼ cup fat-free Greek yogurt; 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla; ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon melted butter substitute; zest of one lemon or orange; and the yeast mixture.


Mix the wet ingredients, then stir into the dry ingredients while adding 1-1/4 cups of warm milk and ½ cup of room temperature sparking water to form a batter. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.


While the batter is resting, beat 3 fresh egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form, then fold the egg whites into the batter.






Cover the bowl and let rise for 60 minutes.








 




Preheat the waffle maker according to manufacturer's directions. When the batter has finished rising, spray the waffle iron with cooking spray and add batter as per your waffle maker’s directions.


Close the top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from iron.






Add your favorite topping and a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar, and serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven until ready to add toppings and serve. (Click here for an easy recipe for a fresh fruit topping, along with a strawberry-rhubarb pastry that’s a lot of fun to make and eat! That recipe is for a strawberry topping; you can use the same recipe with different fruit, too. In the photo at the top, for example, I used blueberries, and kept them whole instead of pressing them with my hands.)


Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year, a great start to which would be to visit again next week for another great-tasting, kitchen-tested recipe! Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook, especially at midnight on December 31. ;-)

Lemon-Kissed Waffles

At first I wasn’t sure about posting a waffle recipe. After all, to make waffles you need a waffle maker, and if you have a waffle maker you probably already have a recipe for waffle batter that you’re at least reasonably happy with. Eventually I decided to post Lemon-Kissed Waffles this week because I think the recipe offers a couple of things most others I’ve seen don’t.

First, there’s a hit of lemon zest that gives the finished waffles just the right touch of tartness to complement the sweetness of the syrup, fruit, etc., that normally are put on top. Second, there’s just a little bit of corn meal that adds a nice bit of texture without being overwhelming. A waffle shouldn’t be just a neutral flavored holder for toppings.



The picture at the top of this article shows what looks like a Belgian waffle, with its large size and deep openings to hold the toppings. A true Belgian waffle (meaning the kind they make in Belgium, not the kind you get at carnivals) is made from a yeast batter, which gives the waffle a very light texture. Although I used a Belgian waffle maker, the waffles I cooked were made from an American style batter, which uses baking powder for leavening instead of the yeast. Not to worry, however; as you’ll see, the recipe also includes beaten egg whites for a bit of added lightness. This is especially helpful if, like me, you reduce the fat content by using egg substitute which, as I’ve mentioned here before, tend not to fluff when cooked quite the way that fresh whole eggs do.


This recipe makes six to eight 8” waffles; they’re best eaten right after being made.


Begin preheating your waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.


To make the batter, first combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 cup whole wheat flour; 2 tablespoons of corn meal; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 tablespoons sugar; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and the zest of 1 lemon. (Note: if you prefer to use 2 cups of all-purpose flour and no whole wheat flour, that works too; the taste of the cooked waffle just won’t be quite as deep.)


Form a large well in the mixed dry ingredients. Place the wet ingredients - 2 egg-substitute eggs, beaten; 1-1/2 cups skim milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla; and 3 tablespoons of butter substitute, melted - in the well and mix until the wet ingredients are completely combined. After the wet ingredients are combined, mix them into the dry ingredients until a batter forms. (Note: Most recipes call for you to combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then mix them into the dry ingredients. You could do that here too, but why make more dishes to wash later?)
Put two fresh egg whites and a pinch of salt into a bowl, and beat until stiff peaks form.
Carefully fold half of the beaten egg whites into the batter. Repeat with the second half of the beaten egg whites. If necessary, add additional all-purpose flour, a tablespoon at a time, until the desired thickness is achieved. The batter should be on the thick side as shown in the video. (Don’t bother getting popcorn and settling back; the video is only about seven seconds.)
                     
Allow the batter to rest for five minutes.




Make the waffles according to the waffle maker manufacturer’s directions. Serve immediately, topped with butter substitute, syrup, fresh fruit, and whatever else suits your fancy! (I also served mine with turkey bacon slices. They’re not shown in the photo, but you already know what they look like.) Or keep them warm in a 200 degree F oven until you’re ready to serve.


And there you have it: Lemon-Kissed Waffles!




I hope you enjoy these waffles as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you. If you’d like a cookbook-style, notebook-ready copy of the recipe, just mention it in a comment or e-mail and you’ll have it post haste!




Stop back next week for another easy, fun, reduced-fat recipe. Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)