Yeast Raised Christmas Waffles Recipes

YEAST-RAISED WAFFLES

Steps:

• Blend milk and yeast. Let sit 3 minutes. Beat eggs with sugar, salt and vanilla.
• Put flour in large bowl; make well in center. Pour milk mixture in center; add egg mixture and crème fraîche. Whisk liquid ingredients together; gradually incorporate flour. Add butter; whisk until batter is smooth. Stir in kirsch. Cover bowl. Let batter rise at room temperature 90 minutes.
• Heat waffle iron. Spread batter across grids. Bake 2 minutes, turn and bake until golden. Cool to room temperature.
• Dust waffles with sugar. Run under broiler till sugar caramelizes. Serve, cooled.

RAISED WAFFLES

Steps:

• Use a rather large mixing bowl - the batter will rise to double its original volume. Put the water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes. Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth and blended. (I often use a hand rotary beater to get rid of the lumps.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature. Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda, and stir until well mixed. The batter will be very thin. Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into a very hot waffle iron. Bake the waffles until they are golden and crisp. This batter will keep well for several days in the refrigerator.

BELGIAN-STYLE YEAST WAFFLES

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, leaving room for expansion; the mixture will bubble and grow.
• Stir to combine; it's fine if the mixture isn't perfectly smooth.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour; the mixture will begin to bubble. You can cook the waffles at this point or refrigerate the batter overnight to cook waffles the next day.
• Preheat your waffle iron. Spray with nonstick vegetable oil spray, and pour ⅔ to ¾ cup batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer) onto the center of the iron. Close the lid and bake for the recommended amount of time, until the waffle is golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes on a standard 7" Belgian-style (deep-pocket) waffle iron.
• Serve immediately.

OVERNIGHT WAFFLES

Steps:

• The night before you want to serve the waffles, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the milk, then the melted butter and the vanilla if you're using it, until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature. (Of course you can do this in the morning if you want waffles for supper.)
• When you're ready to bake, brush the waffle iron lightly with oil and heat it. Stir the egg yolks into the batter. Beat the whites until they hold soft peaks, then fold them gently into the batter until it's relatively smooth.
• Spread a ladleful or so of batter onto the waffle iron and bake until the waffle is done, usually 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your iron. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes in a 200°F oven. If you're making them ahead, store at room temperature in an airtight container and warm them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes just before serving; or freeze them in single layers, separated by sheets of parchment, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Variation:
• Whole Grain Overnight Waffles: Replace some or all of the all-purpose flour with any whole grain flour (whole wheat, oat, quinoa, kamut, or fine cornmeal, for instance) or combination of flours.