The whole oats remain slightly chewy in these apple-scented waffles. The spiced fruit topping can be made ahead and served at room temperature or reheated just before serving. For a refreshing, tangy flavor, spoon a dollop of plain yogurt over the fruit.
Spiced Fruit Topping:
2 large cooking apples such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored & cut into ¼-inch slices
2 large pears such as Bartlett or Bosc, peeled, cored & cut into ¼-inch slices
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
½ cup dried apple slices, chopped
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon allspice
Apple-Oatmeal Waffles:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup applesauce
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Prepare the topping: In a medium-size saucepan, combine all of the topping ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fruit is tender but not mushy and the juices have thickened slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and keep warm.
Prepare the waffles: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Preheat a waffle iron. In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
In another medium-size bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, applesauce, and butter. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring to form a smooth batter.
Lightly grease or spray the grids of the waffle iron. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, or spoon about ⅓ cup batter (amount varies with size of iron) onto the hot iron and spread it almost to the corners of the grids. Close the lid and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the waffles are golden brown, their edges look dry, and they do not stick to the grids. Transfer the baked waffles to the oven, placing them directly on the rack so they will stay crisp. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Transfer the waffles to warmed serving plates and top each serving with the spiced fruit. Makes 8 to 10 waffles.