Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Waffle



Waffle is one of my goodies when I was a child. xxx years ago, while I was in grade 4, I always sneaked out after school to A&W outlet and had a piece of waffle with vanilla ice cream. Oh my...oh my....that was the happiest moment of my everyday life back then. I said "sneaked" because I studied in convent school and the nuns were so against students hanging round fast food outlets, let alone I was just 10 years old.

Up until now, far beyond the word 'child' or 'teen', I love waffle still. My first love after A&W's crush was dated back a few years in Hua Hin (Thailand), at JW Mariotte Hotel. The brunch there was really a decent one. The waffle was....SUPERB. It was soft and light, I could smell it from afar as it was made fresh from the griddles. With the hope of making this goodie at home, I asked hotel staff how these were made out of. And yes, the lady was kind enough to tell that egg/flour/butter/sugar were involved. Thanks! (with disappointing face) :-( Of course , I was desperated to get the recipe. No matter how much I praised her, she would not let a word out. The hotel staff were trained very well, I confirm.

The recipe I followed is of Alton brown, my kitchen hero. The batter was thicker than I thought but it came out fine. It was best eaten afresh once pulled out from griddles. And yes, I couldn't resist having a bite while I was photographing it. The one showed above was gone by the time I tucked my SLR camara back in the cover.



This recipe is not sweet. It goes well with maple syrup or honey or just butter. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top would make your day. This is however cannot match with my second love at JW Mariotte's. (sorry alton).

Basic Waffle - By Alton Brown

4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup

4 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour, approximately 1 cup

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

3 whole eggs, beaten

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted

16 ounces buttermilk, room temperature Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients. In another bowl beat together wet ones. Add the wets to the drys and stir until "just" combined. And this is important, just until it comes together. You can see some green-pea-size lumps but they'll disappear when cooked. Rest batter for 5 minutes.

Ladle the recommended amount of waffle batter onto the iron according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Some people always grase the griddles even though they are non-stick but I prefer not to. Also , be careful not to over pour. I made a mess on my counter top last time while the batter was bubbling out. Close iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

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