vanilla waffles with vanilla syrup
It is really worth using vanilla pods for their flavour in this recipe. Their tiny black seeds float delicately in the vanilla syrup and make a perfect topping for these waffles.
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted clotted cream, to serve
FOR THE SYRUP
1 vanilla pod/bean, halved and seeds removed (see Note)
250 ml/1 cup water
150 g/¾ cup caster/granulated sugar
an electric or stove-top waffle iron
Makes 8
Begin by making the syrup. Put the vanilla pod/bean and seeds, the water and the caster/granulated sugar in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat. Simmer until you have a thin syrup then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 3–5 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles with the vanilla syrup and a spoonful of clotted cream.
Note
To prepare vanilla pods/beans for use in cooking, simply cut in half and run the back of a knife along the pod halves to remove the seeds. The pod can be used alone, with the seeds or seeds only. Once used, the pod can be washed, dried and then stored in a sterilized jar filled with caster/granulated sugar to make vanilla sugar.
apricot and white chocolate waffles
Apricot and white chocolate go perfectly together. These waffles are bursting with apricot pieces and white chocolate chips, and are served with roasted apricots and an apricot butter. A complete apricot overload!
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
1 tablespoon apricot jam/jelly
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted
100 g/⅔ cup white chocolate chips
80 g/½ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
icing/confectioners’ sugar, to dust
FOR THE ROASTED APRICOTS AND APRICOT BUTTER
600 g/4 cups fresh apricots, halved and stones/pits removed
50 g/¼ cup caster/granulated sugar
50 g/3½ tablespoons butter
an electric or stove-top waffle iron an ovenproof roasting dish, greased
Makes 8
Begin by preparing the apricots. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) Gas 4. Cut the apricots in half and remove the stones/pits. Place the apricot halves, cut side down, in the prepared roasting dish and sprinkle over the sugar. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the apricots. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25–30 minutes until the fruit is soft but still holds its shape. Remove from the oven then purée half of the apricots and the juices from the dish in a food processor until smooth to form the apricot butter. Set aside together with remaining halved apricots until you are ready to serve.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk, apricot jam/jelly and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time. Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried apricot pieces.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 3–5 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way, stirring the batter each time to mix in the apricot pieces and chocolate chips.
Serve the waffles immediately, dusted with icing/confectioners’ sugar, with the roasted apricots and apricot butter.
Salted caramel gives these waffles a modern twist. I could eat the sauce on its own but it is delicious with caramel waffles and chocolate curls. The recipe calls for vanilla salt which is available from good delicatessens or online but if you want you can make your own at home following the method here.
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
75 g/5 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
50 g/½ cup plain/bittersweet chocolate curls, to serve
FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
150 g/¾ cup caster/granulated sugar
100 g/7 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla salt (see Note) or sea salt plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
250 ml/1 cup double/heavy cream
an electric or stove-top waffle iron
Makes 8
Begin by making the salted caramel sauce. Put the sugar and butter in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat and simmer until both have melted and the resulting caramel starts to turn a deep golden brown colour. Add the salt and cream and whisk over the heat until the sauce is smooth and glossy. If any lumps of sugar have formed in your sauce, strain through a fine mesh sieve/strainer over a mixing bowl. Set aside to cool.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, baking powder, egg yolks, milk and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. Add 80 ml/scant ⅓ cup of the caramel sauce and whisk again. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 3–5 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles immediately with the caramel sauce on the side, topped with chocolate curls.
Note
To make vanilla salt, split 2 vanilla pods/vanilla beans and remove the seeds. Cut the pods in half. Stir the vanilla seeds into several large spoonfuls of sea salt flakes. Place the salt, seeds and vanilla pods/vanilla beans in a sterilized airtight jar and set aside for 2 weeks. Discard the vanilla pods/vanilla beans before using.
I made these waffles one sunny, summer’s afternoon with three lovely children; Hector, Rosie and Felix. Hector was a very good sous-chef and perfectly folded in the egg whites. The results were delicious! Pistachio ice cream has a delicate, perfumed flavour and is a great accompaniment to the nutty waffles. If you are short of time you can use store-bought pistachio or vanilla ice cream instead.
100 g/¾ cup pistachios, plus a handful finely chopped, to garnish
240 g/scant 2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted
FOR THE ICE CREAM
100 g/¾ cup pistachios
400 ml/1⅔ cup double/heavy cream
200 ml/¾ cup milk
5 egg yolks
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
FOR THE SAUCE
200 g/1⅓ cup white chocolate
250 ml/1 cup double/heavy cream
an electric or stove-top waffle iron an ice cream machine (optional, see Note on page 74)
Makes 8
Begin by preparing the ice cream. Put the pistachios in a food processor and pulse to a fine crumb. Transfer the finely ground pistachios to a saucepan or pot set over a high heat with the double/heavy cream and milk. Bring the mixture to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster/granulated sugar until very thick and pale yellow in colour. Return the pistachio milk to the heat and bring to the boil again. Pour the boiling pistachio milk over the eggs in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Return the mixture to the pan and cook for a few minutes longer until it begins to thicken. Leave to cool completely. Then churn in an ice cream machine following the instructions on page 74 or the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and store in the freezer until you are ready to serve.
For the sauce, put the white chocolate and double/heavy cream in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat and simmer until the chocolate has melted, stirring all the time. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve.
To make the waffle batter, put the pistachios in a food processor and pulse to a fine crumb. Place the pistachios in a large mixing bowl with the flour, sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk and melted butter. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles drizzled with the white chocolate sauce, topped with generous scoops of ice cream and decorated with the chopped pistachios.
Traditional s’mores use digestives biscuits/graham crackers to sandwich toasted marshmallows and chocolate together – a campsite classic! My waffle version is rich, indulgent and utterly delicious. They are definitely big enough to share – I have never known anyone to manage a whole one on their own!
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
20 g/2½ tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted
about 40 large marshmallows
200 g/1⅓ cup plain/bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks, plus extra, melted, to serve
an electric or stove-top waffle iron a chef’s blow torch
Makes 4
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, cocoa powder, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook for 2–3 minutes until crisp. Cook a second waffle in the same way.
Meanwhile cut 10 marshmallows in half and place them on top of the cooked waffle. Using the blow torch, toast the tops of the marshmallows until they are golden brown and soft. If you do not have a chef’s blow torch you can toast the marshmallows under a grill. Place a quarter of the chocolate chunks on top of the toasted marshmallows, then place a second hot waffle on top and serve immediately. You need the heat of the second waffle to melt the chocolate so you need to make and serve these as you go along. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until all the batter is used up.
Serve with extra melted chocolate drizzled over.
peanut waffles with snickers ice cream
For peanut lovers, these waffles are a super treat. Bursting with peanut flavour and served with peanut butter and chocolate ice cream and Snickers sauce, they are certainly not for the faint-hearted or calorie conscious! Adding honey to the sauce takes away some of the sweetness.
225 g/1¾ cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon caster/granulated sugar
3 eggs, separated
400 ml/1⅔ cups milk
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
100 g/7 tablespoons butter, melted
FOR THE ICE CREAM
400 ml/1⅔ cups double/heavy cream
200 ml/¾ cups milk
5 egg yolks
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
2 tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
FOR THE SAUCE
400 ml/1⅔ cups double/heavy cream
6 Snickers bars or other nut, caramel and nougat chocolate bar, chopped
2 teaspoons clear honey
an electric or stove-top waffle iron an ice cream machine (optional, see Note)
Makes 8
Begin by preparing the sauce. Place the cream, Snickers bars and honey in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat and simmer until the Snickers bars have melted and the sauce is glossy. Set aside to cool.
For the ice cream, put the double/heavy cream and milk in a saucepan or pot set over a high heat and bring to the boil. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster/granulated sugar until very thick and pale yellow in colour. Pour the hot milk over the eggs in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Add the peanut butter and whisk again. Return the mixture to the pan and cook for a few minutes longer, until it begins to thicken. Leave to cool completely. Then churn in an ice cream machine following the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream is almost frozen, but still soft enough to stir, stir through about a third of the chocolate peanut sauce so that it is rippled through the ice cream. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and store in the freezer until you are ready to serve.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, baking powder, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk, peanut butter and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles immediately with the ice cream and remaining sauce.
Note
If you do not have an ice cream machine, place the mixture in a freezer-proof container in the freezer and whisk every 20 minutes or so until frozen to break up the ice crystals. The ice cream can be stored for up to 3 months in the freezer.
orange waffles with roasted plums
Rsted plums ma by my lly andma s thing I n a t wn I s ng. Such a mple t, but licisly tangy, ty e d re wh an and vana ffl and lhings d eam.
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted clotted cream, to serve icing/confectioners’ sugar, to dust
FOR THE ROASTED PLUMS
8 plums, halved and stones/pits removed
75 g/⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar 2 tablespoons water
freshly squeezed juice of 2 oranges
an ovenproof dish, greased
an electric or stove-top waffle iron
Mas 8
Begin by preparing the plums. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) Gas 4. Put the plum halves, cut side down, in the prepared roasting dish and sprinkle over 25 g/2 tablespoons sugar, the water and the orange juice. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the fruit is soft but still holds its shape. Remove the plums from the dish and pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat. Simmer with 50 g/¼ cup of the caster/granulated sugar and 60 ml/¼ cup more water until you have a thin syrup. Set aside together with removed halved plums until you are ready to serve.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, orange zest, egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract/vanilla bean paste, caster/granulated sugar, salt and melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Dust the waffles with icing/confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately with the roasted plums, plum syrup and clotted cream.
These lemony waffles are topped with homemade lemon curd. I often make a double quantity of lemon curd so that I have extra in the fridge for an emergency citrus fix!
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
75 g/5 tablespoons butter, melted crème fraîche, to serve
icing/confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
FOR THE LEMON CURD
freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons, the zest of 1 lemon reserved for the waffle batter
freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of 1 unwaxed lime
60 g/4 tablespoons butter
120 g/heaped ½ cup caster/granulated sugar
2 eggs
an electric or stove-top waffle iron
Makes 8
Begin by making the lemon curd. Put the zest of 1 lemon in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan or pot of simmering water. Add the lemon and lime juice, the butter and caster/granulated sugar. Simmer until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved and remove from the heat. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs and stir 1 tablespoon at a time into the lemon butter mixture, whisking after each addition. Return the mixture to the heat and stir for a further 10–15 minutes until the curd is thick. Set aside to cool until you are ready to serve, then store in a sterillized jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, reserved lemon zest, baking powder, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles immediately with the lemon curd and a dollop of crème fraîche. Dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar and enjoy!
Making praline is not difficult and the results are so delicious. Caramelizing sugar takes a little patience but once melted the golden caramel mixes beautifully with the pecans to give a nutty crunch. It’s great whipped into cream or for sprinkling over these waffles.
240 g/scant 2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
100 g/½ cup pecans, finely chopped
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted
250 ml/2 cups double/heavy cream, to serve
maple syrup, to serve
FOR THE PRALINE
100 g/½ cup pecan nuts
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
an electric or stove-top waffle iron a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and greased, or a silicon mat
Makes 8
Begin by making the praline. Heat the sugar in a dry saucepan or pot set over a medium heat until it melts and turns golden brown. Do not stir the sugar but swirl it from time to time to prevent it from burning. Scatter the pecans onto the prepared baking sheet then pour the sugar caramel over the nuts and leave to set. Once cool, transfer the praline sheet to a food processor and pulse to a fine crumb. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to serve. The praline is best made on the day you are using it as it can become sticky when exposed to the air.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk, chopped pecans and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Put the cream in a bowl with half of the praline and whisk to stiff peaks.
Serve the waffles with a spoonful of praline cream, drizzled with maple syrup and sprinkled with the remaining pecan praline.
cinnamon waffles with cinnamon cream sauce
Cinnamon is a wonderfully versatile spice. Deliciously warming and rich it transforms the flavour of these waffles in an instant. Served with a buttery cinnamon sauce and cinnamon ice cream, they make great after dinner waffles.
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
75 g/5 tablespoons butter, melted cinnamon or vanilla ice cream, to serve
FOR THE SAUCE
60 g/4 tablespoons butter
100 g/½ cup caster/granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
250 ml/2 cups double/heavy cream
an electric or stove-top waffle iron
Makes 8
Begin by making the sauce. Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat, then add the cinnamon. Simmer until the sauce thickens and becomes syrupy then remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Whisk in the cream, then return the pan to the heat and cook for a few minutes longer, whisking all the time. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk and melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles immediately with scoops of ice cream and the hot cinnamon cream sauce poured over.
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260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon ground ginger
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
375 ml/1½ cups milk
2 tablespoons ginger syrup
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted icing/confectioners’ sugar, to dust ginger or maple syrup, to drizzle
FOR THE POACHED PEARS
4 ripe pears, peeled and cored, stalk intact
3 balls stem ginger preserved in syrup
80 ml/6 tablespoons ginger wine
2 tablespoons caster/granulated sugar
FOR THE CREAM
2 balls stem ginger, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of the preserving ginger syrup
300 ml/1¼ cups double/heavy cream
an electric or stove-top waffle iron
Mas 8
Begin by preparing the pears. Put the pears in a saucepan or pot with the stem ginger, ginger wine and sugar and then add water to the pan until the pears are covered. Set over a medium heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes until the pears are soft. Drain the pears, discarding the liquid, and set aside to cool. Once cool, cut each pear in half, cutting through the stalk so that each pear half still has part of the stalk at the top. Thinly slice the pear but don’t cut all the way through. This will mean that you can fan the pear out on top of the waffles. Set aside until you are ready to serve.
For the ginger cream, put the ginger syrup and cream in a mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks. Fold the ginger pieces into the mixture and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, ginger, caster/granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, milk, ginger syrup and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles immediately with a spoonful of the ginger cream and 1 poached pear half. Dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar and drizzle with a little ginger syrup.
Creamy, indulgent waffles with a hint of alcohol, these are perfect to make after a long, hard day when you need a treat to relax with. I love the simplicity of the creamy, boozy sauce, finished with a little clotted cream.
260 g/2 cups self-raising/rising flour, sifted
60 g/scant ⅓ cup caster/granulated sugar
80 ml/scant ⅓ cup Baileys or other cream liqueur
a pinch of salt
3 eggs, separated
300 ml/1¼ cups milk
60 g/4 tablespoons butter, melted clotted cream, to serve
FOR THE SAUCE
100 ml/7 tablespoons Baileys or other cream liqueur
200 ml/¾ cup double/heavy cream
50 g/3½ tablespoons butter
a pinch of salt
50 g/¼ cup caster/granulated sugar
an electric or stove-top waffle iron
Makes 8
Begin by preparing the sauce. Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan or pot set over a medium heat and simmer until the sugar and butter melt and the sauce begins to thicken. Keep the pan on the heat but turn it down to low to keep the sauce warm until you are ready to serve.
To make the waffle batter, put the flour, caster/granulated sugar, Baileys, salt, egg yolks, milk and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth batter. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and then gently fold into the batter a third at a time.
Preheat the waffle iron and grease with a little butter.
Ladle a small amount of the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook the waffles for 3–5 minutes until golden brown. Keep the waffles warm while you cook the remaining batter in the same way.
Serve the waffles with the warm Baileys sauce and a teaspoon of clotted cream per portion.
