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I have spent 10 years trying to recreate the crisp, hot, yeasty waffles I remember devouring on the streets of Brussels. Standing on the cobblestone sidewalk, licking my fingers, I vowed to experiment until I got it right. Sadly, I’m still working on it. I have tried a thousand recipes, and gotten pretty darn close, but that authentic gauffre still eludes me.
So I’ve taken a break from the Belgian waffle. But I do love waffles, and I’ve been playing around – pumpkin waffles, cranberry almond waffles and oatmeal raisin waffles. Although I’m not admitting defeat, it has become clear to me that the perfect New England waffle might have nothing to do with that authentic fluffy Belgian version.
Summers spent on Rhode Island beaches have left me with a deep adoration of cornmeal pancakes, or Johnny Cakes as they are dubbed in the Ocean State. As lovely as cornmeal is in a pancake, it’s even better in a waffle. For crispy edges and flavorful intensity, cornmeal is the perfect star. And there is nothing more natural to me than the marriage of cornmeal and blueberries. The tart berries make the waffles just sweet enough, and their juicy bursts add so much luscious texture.
These waffles are best made in the heat of summer, when local blueberries are sweetest. But you could certainly use thawed frozen blueberries in a pinch. Raspberries or blackberries could also work nicely, if you have those on hand instead. This batter is wonderfully quick to make, and if you happen to have extra waffles leftover, they freeze quite well. Just pop them straight from the freezer into the toaster oven to reheat on a weekday morning.
Blueberry Cornmeal Waffles
Serves 6-8
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 5 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Butter and maple syrup, for serving
Wisk together the milk, yogurt, eggs and butter in a large bowl. In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients into the wet and let sit for 15 minutes to allow the cornmeal to soften. Fold in the blueberries. Drop and spread the batter onto a hot greased waffle iron and bake until crisp. Serve with plenty of butter and warmed real maple syrup.
Check out Dedham resident Katie Pelczar's blog at www.cozydelicious.com for more fun and nostalgic recipes.
I have spent 10 years trying to recreate the crisp, hot, yeasty waffles I remember devouring on the streets of Brussels. Standing on the cobblestone sidewalk, licking my fingers, I vowed to experiment until I got it right. Sadly, I’m still working on it. I have tried a thousand recipes, and gotten pretty darn close, but that authentic gauffre still eludes me.
So I’ve taken a break from the Belgian waffle. But I do love waffles, and I’ve been playing around – pumpkin waffles, cranberry almond waffles and oatmeal raisin waffles. Although I’m not admitting defeat, it has become clear to me that the perfect New England waffle might have nothing to do with that authentic fluffy Belgian version.
Summers spent on Rhode Island beaches have left me with a deep adoration of cornmeal pancakes, or Johnny Cakes as they are dubbed in the Ocean State. As lovely as cornmeal is in a pancake, it’s even better in a waffle. For crispy edges and flavorful intensity, cornmeal is the perfect star. And there is nothing more natural to me than the marriage of cornmeal and blueberries. The tart berries make the waffles just sweet enough, and their juicy bursts add so much luscious texture.
These waffles are best made in the heat of summer, when local blueberries are sweetest. But you could certainly use thawed frozen blueberries in a pinch. Raspberries or blackberries could also work nicely, if you have those on hand instead. This batter is wonderfully quick to make, and if you happen to have extra waffles leftover, they freeze quite well. Just pop them straight from the freezer into the toaster oven to reheat on a weekday morning.
Blueberry Cornmeal Waffles
Serves 6-8
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 5 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Butter and maple syrup, for serving
Wisk together the milk, yogurt, eggs and butter in a large bowl. In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Combine the dry ingredients into the wet and let sit for 15 minutes to allow the cornmeal to soften. Fold in the blueberries. Drop and spread the batter onto a hot greased waffle iron and bake until crisp. Serve with plenty of butter and warmed real maple syrup.
Check out Dedham resident Katie Pelczar's blog at www.cozydelicious.com for more fun and nostalgic recipes.
