Waffly Good Breakfast

One of the surest ways to produce a smile on my son's faces is to make waffles. I rarely do it, though, because of the time involved. Somedays, though, like rainy weekend days, it's worth it just to see the sunshine in his smiles.

I made these waffles and topped them with homemade plum jam. I had to talk my son into trying that. Anything new or different is viewed with suspicion. We finally compromised; one waffle with jam, one his standard way - every hole filled in with maple syrup (that boy loves his syrup!). He agreed that both were good, although I suspect he'll still reach for the syrup next time I make them. I'll bet if I wrapped them around a sausage, he'd love them even more - Pigs in a Quilt!

If you like variety, try adding some chopped toasted nuts to the batter, or if you like savory, some chopped fresh chives. Whatever you do, though, don't skip the beaten egg white step! That's the secret to the lofty tenderness of these treats.


Happy Day Buttermilk Waffles
- adapted from The Bread Bible by Beth Henspberger

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs separated
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups buttermilk

1- Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high.

2- In a large bowl combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, oil, and buttermilk until foamy.

3- In a small bowl using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form (when you pull the beater out of the whites, a peak should form which gently slouches over).

4- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in the whites until no streaks are visible.

5- Brush the waffle iron with oil or melted butter. For each waffle, pour about 1 cup of the batter on to the grid. Close the lid and bake until the waffle is crisp and golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. (My waffle iron has a marvelous tweedling noise it makes to let me know when it's done.) Remove waffle from iron with a fork and repeat with the remaining batter.

Any leftover waffles can be cooled and stored in a freezer zip-loc bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the toaster.