Overnight, Yeast-Raised, No-Knead, Gingerbread

TASTIER

VEGETARIAN

Makes 8 waffles

These are for the adults. They’re not very sweet—but more savory, with the spicy kick of gingerbread. Here’s our shortcut: Stir together a simple yeast batter the night before, then let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. No watching, no waiting, just a night’s sleep. The next morning, break out the waffle iron to make individual gingerbreads. The results are stunning: light, flavorful, spiced bliss. A little melted butter on top and it’s perfect.

1¾ cups whole, low-fat, or fat-free milk

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1½ teaspoons instant yeast

1 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons ground dried ginger

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the milk and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring after each. Once the butter is about three-quarters melted, remove the bowl or cup from the microwave and let sit on the countertop, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is between 105°F and 115°F.

2. As the mixture cools, whisk the flour, brown sugar, yeast, salt, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl until uniform.

3. Pour the cooled milk mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir just until the flour has been moistened, even if the batter is still grainy.

4. Stir in the eggs and vanilla just until uniform. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours, until foamy, even spongy, and airy (it will not double in bulk).

5. Heat a 6- to 8-inch round or a small square waffle iron to high according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Give the batter a stir to remove some of the air. Add about ⅓ cup batter to the waffle iron. Cover and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions until set and brown. Serve warm.

Test Kitchen Notes

• Use a clean, instant-read meat thermometer to take the temperature of the milk mixture.

• Be careful not to overmix the batter. Stop the moment you see no more dry flour.

• To avoid further mixing the batter, the eggs must be already beaten when added.

• This recipe works best with a round 7-inch waffle iron, about the standard these days. If yours is larger (or smaller), you’ll need to experiment with the right amount of batter for each piece of gingerbread.

image Instant yeast—granulated yeast, designed to dissolve instantly and not require proofing—is better here for the overnight rise. (Be careful not to confuse it with fast-rise or active dry yeast.) Look for small packets in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. Or look for larger, 1-pound packages at specialty and high-end food stores.