Laine's Recipe Box: Five-Grain Cream Waffles

Friday, July 30, 2010

Five-Grain Cream Waffles

I've neglected one of my favorite cookbooks for far too long, so it's time for another recipe from Good to the Grain. I've had this recipe, along with another waffle recipe, marked since I got the cookbook, but I just haven't gotten around to making any waffles even though I love them. After making blueberry syrup last weekend I knew it was time to come back to this recipe. I already had the multigrain flour mix (recipe below) from when I made Spice Muffins so these waffles were a speedy and delicious weeknight dinner.

I love the nutty, whole-grain flavor of these waffles and they were complemented well by the blueberry syrup, which was sweet, but not overly so. It was always a big treat when my dad would make whole-wheat waffles on a Saturday morning in lieu of our traditional pancakes so waffles always have a touch of nostalgia for me. I froze the extra waffles, which reheat really well in the toaster, providing a quick delicious breakfast (or other meal) any time.

Five-Grain Cream Waffles
from Good to the Grain

makes about 10 waffles

The multigrain flour mix gives these waffles their complex flavor, tender texture, and nice chewy bite. Two cups of bream make the batter particularly delicate and keep the waffles moist even after they cool. Cook the waffles until they are a dark golden-brown, so that the crust has a thin, crisp texture that offsets the fine crumb of the center. Serve these waffles with the best maple syrup you can find a knob of good butter. For an extra-special treat, try BLiS maple syrup; it's aged in bourbon barrels for a rich, round flavor that is incredible.

2 oz. (1/2 stick) butter, melted, for the waffle iron

Dry Mix:
1 c. Multigrain Flour Mix (see below)
1 c. whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. kosher salt

Wet Mix:
3 eggs
2 c. heavy cream

1. Turn the waffle iron to its highest setting. Even if you don't usually heat it this high, these waffles come out best when cooked at high heat. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl, pouring any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter back into the bowl, and set aside.

2. Whisk the cream and eggs together thoroughly. Pour cream mixture into the dry ingredients, using a spatula to get every last bit. With a light hand gently fold the two mixtures together. The batter will be thick and pillowlike, with large pockets of deflated bubbles on the surface.

3. Brush the waffle iron generously with butter; this is the key to a crisp crust. Use a ladle or 1/2-cup measuring cup to scoop batter onto the spaces of the iron. Promptly close, and listen for the iron to sigh as the batter begins to cook. The smell wafting from the iron starts out like a freshly kneaded loaf of bread, then becomes toasty. Remove the waffle when the indicator light shows that it is done, or when a quick peek shows that they've turned a dark golden-brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the hot waffle with a a fork, and repeat with the remaining batter.