Originally posted by Modern-Day Ma on April 23, 2020
These waffles are everything you want in a syrup-drizzled breakfast. Crisp, light, flavorful, and the perfect vehicle for dozens of toppings, such as cream cheese, pure maple syrup, seasonally ripe fruit, a smear of freezer jam, and pillowy clouds of freshly whipped cream.
These can be made with sourdough starter or traditional yeast. Those who aren’t into sourdough may be surprised to hear that the waffles made with a sourdough starter have a milder tang than those made with traditional yeast. The natural yeasts found in sourdough starter ferment slower than those in commercial baker’s yeast, allowing these waffles to develop a deep flavor overnight without as much acid, which is the byproduct of yeast fermentation. Don’t get me wrong, we have made them with traditional yeast and they are still amazing, crisp and almost lighter than air no matter which yeast you choose.
You may be thinking that anything that involves yeast must be a long, drawn-out process only appropriate for lazy weekend mornings. You would be mistaken to limit these waffles only to weekend servitude. They take just 5 minutes to prep late in the evening and then rest at room temperature all night while the yeasts do their magic. In the morning a quick whisk of eggs and baking soda while the waffle iron heats make these nearly as fast as a bowl of cereal.
While I hate to recommend recipes that require expensive tools, these waffles really work best with a Belgian waffle iron, due to its ability to flip over and spread the batter evenly on both a horizontal and vertical plane. If you don’t already have a Belgian waffle iron, give them a go in your standard waffle maker, but know that the texture will likely be less amazing than I’ve described here. If you’re in the market for a new waffle iron, I cannot recommend this one highly enough. Its double capacity means you can keep up with even large family sizes. We always eat as we go, serving the waffles right off the hot iron and taking turns cooking so everyone can enjoy a crisp waffle seconds after its done. Sometimes we split the waffles in half, allowing double the family members to eat right away. Enjoy!
These yeasted waffles are impossibly light and crisp, delicious served with all types of toppings.
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tbsp yeast or 1/4 cup sourdough starter*
2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
2 cups flour
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
In a large mixing bowl (glass or stainless steel is best. Do not use aluminum), combine water, sugar and yeast or sourdoughs starter. Whisk to combine. A Danish dough whisk is the best tool for this.
Mix in milk, salt and flour.
Drizzle in the butter while stirring constantly. Because the milk is cold, the butter will clump up if you pour it in and then stir. Be sure to stir constantly while pouring.
Cover the bowl, leaving a little gap or loose lid to allow the mixture to breathe. I like using these silicone lids for this (plus they’re amazing for keeping your microwave clean).
Let batter rest overnight (at least 8 hours) at room temperature.
In the morning, prep all the toppings and then heat up the waffle iron. While the iron is heating, whisk the eggs and baking soda into the batter. It’s best to begin cooking the waffles immediately because the reaction between the baking soda and the acid produced by the yeasts has already begun to fizz.
Use a little less batter than you would with a traditional recipe. These waffles have huge expansive potential and will overflow your waffle iron if you use too much batter.
Waffles are finished when they are a deep golden color and have developed a crisp texture. Avoid opening the waffle iron too soon as the texture of the final product will suffer.
*This recipe is wonderful for discard starter. You can use a starter that has been fed anytime in the last two weeks and the results will be fantastic.
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