Multi-Grain Waffles

Although it may seem contradictory, I love trying as many new things as possible and I love routine, my Sunday night ritual being a prime example of this behavior. When the weather's nice, I grill out on Sunday nights. Once it's football season, it's Packer snack day. In that stretch in between, Sunday nights are breakfast for dinner night. Being one of those people who's constantly planning, I don't enjoy Sundays as much as I should because I'm always thinking ahead to Monday morning, but planning a little treat at the end of day helps me to enjoy the whole day more. Today is the last day of the football season, so instead of lamenting the end of football Sundays (though they really ended for me when the Packers lost), let me offer you a wonderful recipe to try if you want to follow in my Sunday night footsteps - Multi-Grain Waffles. I'm always a fan of whole grain recipes over their white flour equivalents, even at the expense of a bit of texture, but these are so light and crispy, you'd never know they were whole grain. The delicate texture and delicious whole grain flavor led me to devour a whole waffle myself, each butter and syrup-kissed bite the perfect union of comfort and nutrition. Extra waffles freeze splendidly, reheating to near-perfection in the toaster or toaster oven for a quick weekday breakfast (I recommend topping them with peanut butter and honey). Although I'll never stop trying new things, this recipe has as earned a spot as my new waffle standard and a launching pad for my own creations.

Multi-Grain Waffles
from Eating Well
serves 8

2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ, or cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Mix buttermilk and oats in a medium bowl; let stand for 15 minutes.

2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ (or cornmeal), baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

3. Stir eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla into the oat mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened.

4. Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat. Spoon in enough batter to cover three-fourths of the surface (about 2/3 cup for an 8-by-8-inch waffle iron). Cook until waffles are crisp and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Carrot and Corn-Flour Waffles

I rarely have the opportunity to make a big breakfast in the morning, so I make a point of having breakfast for dinner on a regular basis, which always feels like a treat. These waffles are a bit more suited to summer than fall, with their sunny and light flavor, but made for a thoroughly satisfying dinner when topped with a smear of butter and a hearty drizzle of maple syrup. As usual, I made plenty of extra to freeze for quick and delicious breakfasts during the week.


Carrot and Corn-Flour Waffles
from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce
makes 10

Sometimes the best cooking inspiration comes from what's in your cupboards. One cold Sunday morning in winter, I wanted to use a handful of corn flour in a batch of waffles for the kids. As I pulled milk, butter, and eggs from the fridge, I noticed a small glass of carrot juice, and on a whim I poured it into the batter. Both the carrots and corn flour had a sunny sweetness that made them a perfect breakfast match. The juice and zest of an orange brightened the color and flavor of the waffles. When you make this recipe for breakfast, squeeze some extra oranges and serve a pitcher of juice along with the waffles.

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

 
Dry Mix:
1.5 c. corn flour
1.5 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. plus 2 T. wheat germ
1/4 c. dark brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 T. ground ginger
1.5 t. kosher salt

Wet Mix:
1 c. plus 2 T. carrot juice
3/4 c. whole milk
3 T. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Zest and juice of one orange
2 eggs

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 large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredients that may remain in the sifter.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together until thoroughly combined and a creamy orange color. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, 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 measuring cup to scoop 1/2 cup 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 it's turned a dark golden-brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the hot waffle with a fork, and repeat with the remaining batter.

4. The waffles should be served hot-right out of the waffle iron-as the buttery flavors and beautiful crunch tend to deteriorate quickly when the waffles cool. Serve with a large knob of unsalted butter and the best maple syrup you can find, or with some Three-Citrus Marmalade (see Good to the Grain, page 192). Or add a spoonful of Greek yogurt to the plate, use the back of the spoon to make a hollow, and drop a bit of syrup or jam into it.

Maple Oat Waffles

Maple is one of my favorite flavors in the world. From maple-walnut fudge, to maple-glazed ribs, to maple syrup drizzled over warm pancakes and waffles, I love it all. So when I saw waffles with maple syrup in the batter, I knew they were for me. And served alongside a side of bacon? Pure heaven, on cold winter mornings or even warm summer evenings.

I used all-purpose flour, but next time I'm going to try these waffles with white whole wheat flour instead. White whole wheat usually substitutes perfectly for all-purpose, but I usually try recipes as written the first time. The only slightly tricky part of this recipe is whipping the egg whites; if you're not used to it, you can overwhip or underwhip the egg whites quick easily. I started whipping egg whites when I was just a little girl and I used to ask my dad to let me whip the egg whites (by hand!) when we would have waffles for breakfast on Saturday mornings. It is much easier to whip egg whites with my Kitchenaid mixer these days, but learning to whip them by hand gave me a much better idea of the different stages (soft peak, stiff peak, etc.) and how fast they transition between stages. If you're afraid of overwhipping the egg whites, you can whip them by hand, although it will take significantly longer and give you a good arm workout.

Maple Oat Waffles
from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce

makes 12 waffles

Oats and maple syrup are a natural breakfast combination. Here the syrup is stirred into the batter and used in place of sugar, and two grades of oats are used-bran and flour. The oat bran is soaked in warm milk to soften before being stirred into the batter After the batter is stirred together, egg whites are whipped separately and then folded into the thick batter for loft and tenderness. One thing that's crucial to the success here, even more than in other waffle recipes: Butter the waffle iron generously, as a crisp crust really makes the different in these waffles.

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

Dry Mix:
1/2 c. oat bran
1 c. oat flour
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. kosher salt

Wet Mix:
2 c. cold whole milk
4 eggs, separated
1/2 c. maple syrup
2 t. pure vanilla extract
1 T. sugar

1. Turn the waffle iron to its highest setting. Even if you don't normally heat it this high, these waffles comes out best when cooked at high heat.

2. Pour the oat bran into a small bowl. Bring 1 c. of the milk to just shy of a boil. Add the hot milk to the oat bran and stir, then set aside to soften while you gather the rest of the ingredients.

3. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back into the bowl any bits of grain or other ingredietns that may remain in the sifter.

4. Pout the egg whites into the clean bowl of a standing mixture and the yolks into a medium bowl. Add the maple syrup and vanilla to the egg yolks and whisk until thoroughly combined.

5. Add the remaining 1 cup of milk to the oat brain-the cold milk will cool the lingering heat of the brain. Pour the oat mixture into the maple syrup mixture and stir to combine.

6. Using a spatula, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently combine. The batter will still have fine lumps throughout; resist the urge to stir them in.

7. To whip the egg whites, attach the mixing bowl and the whip to the mixer and turn the mixture to high speed. As the whites whip, they will become frothy and begin got increase in volume. Add 1 tablespoon sugar. Next they will turn thick but very soft. Continue whipping until they are fluffy and glossy and hold their peaks, like clouds or cotton candy, about 3 minutes total. If they are overwhipped, they'll crack and look mealy. If that happens, throw them out and start over.

8. Scrape half of the egg whites into the batter, stirring and folding gently so as not to deflate the air in the whites. Add the remaining half of the egg whites, and fold gently to combine. The egg whites should be entirely encorporated into the batter and the batter should be quite fluffy.

9. The light batter needs to be griddles on the waffle iron just as soon as you finish mixing it; it will deflate quickly if left to sit, chilled or otherwise.

10. Brush the waffle iron generously with butter. Using a ladle or measuring cup, scoop 1/2 cup of batter on 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 shoes that it is done, or when a quick peak shows that it has turned a dark golden-brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the hot waffle with a fork and repeat with the remaining batter.

11. These waffles are best eaten hot, right off the iron, with a thin slab of butter melting on top and maybe a bit of jam.

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.

4. The waffles should be served hot off the griddle.

Multigrain Flour Mix:
1 c. whole-wheat flour
1 c. oat flour
1 c. barley flour
1/2 c. millet flour
1/2 c. rye flour