Legend has it that one day a knight in armor sat on pancake batter, giving life to the grill we all know. That day waffles were born. Luckily, we now have plates that make the job easier. Read on to learn how to prepare perfect waffles, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
Ingrediants
- 400 gr of flour 00 (you can replace it up to 50% with flour for pastry or buckwheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder or baking soda
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 5 eggs, of which you have separated egg whites and yolks
- 300 ml of milk
- 2 - 5 tablespoons of melted butter or oil
- 1 teaspoon of vanillin
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare the Equipment and the Batter
Step 1. Preheat the waffle iron
Plug it in and turn it on, check the instruction booklet to find out if you need to wait for it to reach the desired temperature. Many appliances have a light that goes out when the temperature is correct.
Drop a couple of drops of water on the soleplate to check its temperature. If they sizzle and jump for a few seconds before evaporating, you can proceed with cooking. If the drops remain on the soleplate for too long, it means that you have to wait a little longer. If the water evaporates in less than a couple of seconds, your soleplate is too hot
Step 2. Combine the dry ingredients
In a medium to large bowl, put the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder (or baking soda). If you want very fluffy waffles, sift through all the ingredients.
Step 3. Separate the eggs
Use a special tool to divide the egg white from the yolk and place them in two bowls.
- You can separate the eggs by breaking the shell in half and passing the yolk from one side to the other, while the egg white falls into the bowl.
- If there are residues of egg white left with the yolks, there is no problem. However, if the opposite happens, you will not be able to whip the whites.
Step 4. Beat the egg whites
Use a whisk or electric hand mixer to make them fluffy and stiff.
Step 5. Beat the remaining wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine the butter (or oil) with the egg yolks, milk and vanillin, and mix until well combined.
Step 6. Combine wet and dry ingredients
Make a hole in the powdered ingredients and pour in the milk and egg mixture. Stir until you get a smooth batter, but don't overdo it, or the waffles will be too thick. If there are a couple of lumps you can safely leave them.
Step 7. Stir in the whipped egg whites
Mix gently until everything is well blended. Again, do not overdo it and remember to make a gentle movement from bottom to top.
Method 2 of 3: Make the waffles
Step 1. Brush the waffle plate with oil
Use a pastry brush or kitchen paper to grease both the top and bottom plates. Remember to do this step with every waffle you make, otherwise it will stick.
Step 2. Pour the batter
The exact amount to use for each waffle depends on the size of the plate. If you are unsure, it is better to sin by defect than by excess. The batter swells as it cooks. Pour it evenly onto the underside of the plate.
Step 3. Close the lid and wait for the waffle to be cooked
It will take about 2 minutes. If you like it golden brown, cook it for longer.
- Do not squeeze the lid. Its weight is sufficient to allow the waffle to swell a little.
- Check for steam. When the waffle is ready, it shrinks enormously or stops.
- Listen and check the plate thermostat. In some models, it turns off when the waffle maker is cooked.
- Waffles are significantly less sticky once cooked. If you find it difficult to lift the lid of the plate (and you have greased it correctly), it means that the waffle is not ready yet.
- Don't open the plate if you can avoid it. Try to cook each waffle at once. If, when you open the plate, the wafer still seems too light, close the lid gently and wait a little longer.
Step 4. Remove the waffle maker
A putty knife can come in handy for this job (so you don't burn your fingers). Put the cooked waffle on a plate and fill the plate with more batter to prepare another. Repeat the steps until you have no more batter.
Method 3 of 3: Serve the Waffles
Step 1. Serve them still hot with a little butter and maple syrup
It is always the best combination!
Step 2. Serve them with powdered sugar and fruit
It is another typical, and certainly delicious, way of presenting sweet waffles. Try strawberries, blueberries, bananas or peaches.
- If you want to make a fruit syrup, put some chopped fruit, a couple of teaspoons of sugar and 220 ml of water in a saucepan. Heat everything over medium heat. Stir the mixture until it has thickened like a syrup that you can pour over your waffles.
- You can also add fruit directly to the batter that it will cook along with the waffles. Try mixing blueberries, chopped strawberries, banana slices, or another fruit to your taste.
Step 3. Take your waffles to the next level by adding chocolate
Bring them to the table with a chocolate syrup and whipped cream to make them an irresistible dessert. You can also add some chocolate chips to the batter before cooking it.
Advice
- Brush the plate with a new layer of butter, or oil, between the cooking of one waffle and the other. Otherwise they will tend to stick together. Sometimes even a non-stick surface can lose its properties.
- Try using a waffle iron. They are non-stick and reach the ideal temperature.
- It may take some practice to understand the right amount of batter to pour into the plate, the correct temperature, and the time it takes for perfect cooking. Be patient and don't give up on the first obstacle or the first waffle that is crooked or not perfectly cooked.
- Place the plate on a suitable surface - a ceramic countertop or glass cutting board is fine. The bottom of the griddle will become very hot and a few drops of batter may leak out.
- Bring your freshly made waffles to the table. If your diners have not arrived yet, cover them and place them in an oven that has just been turned off or set to a very low temperature.
- Do not use non-stick sprays to avoid damaging the surface of the plate. Read the instruction booklet for more details.
- If you don't want to make your own batter from scratch, use a pancake mix and mix it with a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- When you prepare the batter, cook it all; if you have any waffles left over, store them in an airtight container. Put it in the refrigerator and reheat it using a toaster and not the microwave.
