Belgian Waffles
A hint of orange, a bit of rum whipped cream and warm maple syrup.
During the quiet days of COVID-19, when we suddenly found ourselves at home with nowhere to go, I began pulling things from the back of the kitchen cabinets that hadn’t seen daylight in years. One of them was a Belgian waffle maker, a Christmas gift from my husband nearly thirty before. Seeing it took me back to when we were first married and Sunday brunch at the downtown Hilton felt like an occasion. Their waffles were crispy on the outside, served with fresh whipped cream and warm maple syrup. I loved them so much that I asked for a waffle maker so I could try to recreate them at home. So, nearly thirty years later, I plugged her in.
She still worked!
I added orange zest to the batter and a little rum to the whipped cream and finished them the way I remembered. I had a bottle of High West Slopeside Maple Syrup from a recent trip with high school best friends to Park City that I warmed. An old Christmas gift from our newlywed years, a bottle of maple syrup from a girl’s trip our west – all finding their way back to the breakfast table.
- 2cup (9 oz) flour ( Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose baking flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- zest of one orange
- 2 eggs – whites separated
- 2 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter – melted
- vegetable or canola spray
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Beat egg yolks and add milk, vanilla and orange zest.
Blend with flour mixture.
In a stand mixer, beat egg whites and sugar until stiff. Fold into batter.
Spray a preheated waffle iron with oil. Spoon in 1/2 cup batter into each square until just full (don’t over fill). Cook until golden (steam will begin to pour from the sides of the waffle maker). Remove and place in 200 degree oven on a rack for 5 minutes. Serve with warm maple syrup, rum whipped cream, orange supremes and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
Orange Supremes
Trim the ends of the orange, and cut off the peel and pith from the zested orange. Cut just inside the membranes to release each segment then squeeze out the juice.
Vanilla Rum Whipped Cream
With a mixer, whip 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, a dash of rum and a dash of vanilla extract and a tsp of confectioners sugar. Mix until stiff peaks form.
I planted a garden for the first time this year, COVID project, inspired by Lauri Kranz’s beautiful book, A Garden Can Be Anywhere. I have lots of perennials in the yard, but wanted a cutting garden of annuals. Not sure there’s enough sun, but if it’s successful, curious who’ll reap the most benefit – us or the deer, chipmunks, foxes, squirrels, and groundhogs. So far, the dahlias are happy but it’s the groundhog, not my tomatoes, growing plump. I do however have some nice zucchini and peppers, and gorgeous dahlias for the table. Next year may require a garden house.
