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The Best Waffle recipe (made with kefir)

smartdog's picture
smartdog

The Best Waffle recipe (made with kefir)

The BEST Waffle recipe
The original recipe is from The Baker's Companion Spring 2007. BUT, I made a change to this recipe that makes all the difference in the world to the texture and taste. If you are a fan of waffles, and can get your hands on some "Kefir", this recipe is a definite keeper!

Kefir can be found "sometimes" in health food stores. Buy the unflavoured for this recipe. If you make your own kefir, Even Better!  I've been making my own from whole milk fermented kefir grains for a few months now.

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups plain wholemilk kefir (you can use buttermilk, as per the original recipe, but kefir is better in my opinion)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter - melted and cooled to room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached cake flour or unbleached all purpose flour (cake flour is way better in the recipe)
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup pecan meal (optional)

In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, kefir, melted butter, and vanilla. In another bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients just until smooth.

Spray your waffle iron with a nonstick cooking spray before preheating it. For an 8 inch round waffle iron, use about 1/3 cup batter. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the iron stops steaming and waffles are golden brown.

*Waffles are best consumed as soon as they are baked, but in a pinch you may place them on a wire rack to cool, wrap tightly to store in the refrigerator, then reheat for 6 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Bryna
Luv4Country Soaps
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maggie664's picture
maggie664

Hi Smartdog,
Having just bought a Silex heavy-duty waffle maker (for the cafe) and my staff and I tried it out to-day using your recipe. Instead of kefir we used plain unsweetened yoghurt.
We had a bit of difficulty getting a crisp product until we added some cornflour. Could you tell me how crisp your waffles are? Can they be frozen and crisped up in the oven without thawing?
The flavour was beautiful and we are looking forward to including them on our breakfast menu. Thank you for presenting the recipe.M

smartdog's picture
smartdog

hmmm, I've never thought of using cornflour in waffles. I don't think I've ever even seen a waffle recipe with it in it. I am using this recipe in a belgian waffle maker and mine come out quite crispy on the outside. We just recently bought a regular sized waffle maker (the standard "frozen" waffle rectangle size") and I haven't tried this recipe in that maker, but when I do I'll try to remember to post the results.
Maybe the kefir really is the secret ingredient? I'm not sure.

But, definetly feel free to tweak the recipe to obtain the results you need for sure. I haven't frozen any because they get eaten here really quickly. But, I have put them in the fridge overnight, and they were lovely warmed in the oven the next morning if that helps. ;)

Luv4Country Soaps
 
http://www.luv4country.com/catalog

maggie664's picture
maggie664

How does the acidity and viscosity compare? Also the consistency of the recipe with plain yoghurt substitution seeemed rather thick. Maybe I'll have to use buttermilk. I'm starting to suspect that the yoghurt may have affected the crispness. Am I right in thinking rhat that waffles should be crisp and crunchy?

smartdog's picture
smartdog

It might help to cook them past  "golden" to more on the "brown side" as I love my waffles crispier too! ;) The kefir is not quite as thick as yoghurt, but the consistency of the batter is thicker than a regular waffle batter for sure. And...for the most part a waffle in my mind should hold it's crispiness for a while unless totally slathered in syrup over a period of time. Hope this helps you maggie.

maggie664's picture
maggie664

Hi Smartdog,
Thank you for your help. I think I'll dilute the yoghurt somewhat and perhaps reduce the baking soda because of the reduced acidity.M

smartdog's picture
smartdog

I love making my own kefir. :) Awhile ago I got some beautiful grains from someone advertising on kijiji from my area. I had never had such healthy grains before. Hopefully I'll be diligent and keep these ones alive for longer than my last ones. :) I LOVE that it's a living healthy drink, and that it can be used in so many ways, not just drinking straight. I've also used it for a replacement for buttermilk, yoghurt, and sourcream in many recipes with much success.

bigjohnson's picture
bigjohnson

Hey, Ladies! Big J here to tell y’all how to get dem waffles nice and caRISPY! Ah used mah own favorite recipe, Aretha Franklin’s Waffles of Insane Goodness (or something like dat), and substituted de 2 cups of milk an’ used de kefir instead. Ah tell you; dem waffles comes out nice and crispy! Oh, by de way, de way to get dem waffles crispy is, if’n it call fo 2 cups of flour fo zample, use one cup of flour an one cup of CORNSTARCH! See, de cornstarch what give de waffles dey crispiness! Now ah know, y’all gone tell ol Big Johnson heah, dat he 9 yeahs too late; but dat ain’t so, ladies – it ain’t nevah too late fo crispy waffles!