I’ve spent a lot of time making waffles and then telling you that they’re not for breakfast. Well, these are. They hold syrup without becoming heavy or soggy. They have just a touch of outer crispness that gives way to heavenly, spongy, fluffiness inside.
Ingredients for 10 waffles, serving 5
15-20 medium-sized strawberries
4 Tbs granulated sugar, divided, plus more to taste
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
4 Tbs unsalted butter, plus ½-tsp for griddle
3 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
5 red bananas
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs powdered sugar, plus more for garnish
Maple syrup, for serving
3-4 Tbs salted butter, for serving, melted
How to do it:
- Quarter or halve the strawberries. (Cut them into eighths if there obscenely large.) Sprinkle with 1 Tbs sugar (or more, to taste). Toss to coat. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, overnight.
- Use a large balloon whisk to mix the flour, remaining 3 Tbs granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat the waffle maker to setting 4 (of 7).
- Melt the butter and stir it into the buttermilk. Whisk the yolks and vanilla into the buttermilk mixture, then whisk the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients, just until blended.
- Whip the whites to stiff peaks. Still using the balloon whisk, gently fold the whites (in a single addition, without lightening the batter first) into the batter just until fully blended.
- Use a 1/2 cup of batter per waffle (see notes). Meanwhile, proceed with remaining directions.
- As each batch of waffles finishes, allow them to cool on a wire rack.
- Slice the bananas into rounds. Set aside.
- Strain the strawberries and reserve their juice. Set aside.
- Whip the cream (to soft or stiff peaks, according to your tastes) with 1 Tbs of powdered sugar. Set aside.
- To assemble, complete these plating instructions in batches of as many waffles as your maker holds at once. My maker holds four, so I’ll use that as an example: return four waffles to the iron. Close the lid and let them rewarm for 10 seconds. Move two of them to warm, dry plates, leaving the other two in the maker with the lid open. Drizzle a tablespoon of strawberry juice, a tablespoon of syrup, and a teaspoon of melted butter over each plated waffle. Top them with the waffles remaining in the maker, and do the same with the strawberry, syrup, and butter, adding more to taste. Top with each plate of waffles with bananas and strawberries. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Obviously, best fresh. However, surprisingly serviceable left over – and I mean, really surprisingly! Once fully cooled, store waffles in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator. Toast them on setting 4 (of 9). They’ll crisp up and be a bit chewier than they were when fresh, but definitely worth sitting down for on a weekday morning before you rush out the door. Or, spread one with Nutella, fold it in half, and eat it out of hand on the way to work. I’m quite shocked at how much I enjoyed them this way, to the point that I now look forward to making them on the weekend so that I can enjoy them leftover during the week.
Notes:
If you substitute milk for the buttermilk, even if you use the vinegar or lemon juice workaround, use about 1/2 cup less milk. The resultant waffles may stick slightly to the iron.
Once you’ve whipped the egg whites, if the waffle maker isn’t yet preheated, wait until it is before you fold the whites into the batter.
If you whip the eggs whites too stiffly, it will be difficult to incorporate them into the batter. Take them just to the point of stiff peaks and no further.
The amount of batter that it takes to make a waffle will vary from one maker to another, and hence you may produce more or less waffles. I used a Belgian-style waffle maker, but it’s not required.
The waffles will soften as they cool. Returning them to the waffle maker will not only reheat them, but crisp them up – and this second round of crispness will persist even as the waffles once again cool.
Of course you can use yellow (Cavendish) bananas. Red bananas are softer, creamier, sweeter, and have a berry-like, floral note to their flavor profile that makes them a delicious match for strawberries. If you’re unfamiliar with red bananas, you should know that unripe ones are horrifying. When they’re ripe, they’ll feel soft when you gently squeeze them – in fact, they’ll feel like overripe yellow bananas. They’re also a bit harder to peel than yellow bananas. I start by cutting off the stem end with a knife, and then I gently work the peel open and pop the banana out.
American Breakfast Waffles
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Wish I didn’t throw away my waffle maker when I did the spring cleaning! These look so tempting!
angiesrecipes recently posted…Peanut Butter Poppy Bread
Perfect excuse to buy a new one!
BRING ON THE EXTRAAAA syrup to fill up all those nooks and crannies!!
You got it!
Jeff, I haven’t had an American waffle in three years and it’s time I tuck into some. I love the sound of the crispiness and fruit on waffles is pure pleasure. Our local strawberries are soon to ripen so this will be on our Sunday brunch soon. Might just have to have a side of bacon or two with them.
Ron recently posted…Åhus and an absolutely perfect Cosmopolitan…
Sounds great!
Red bananas? Say what!? I’ve never heard of such a thing! Figuratively speaking, where would one go to procure such a creation? I’m asking for a friend. 🙂
Also, these waffles sound amazing! In fact, I might have to make a batch this weekend now.
David @ Spiced recently posted…S’mores Brownies
I found them at the supermarket. You know, there’s this whole thing about Cavendish bananas being endangered and banana growers trying to promote other types. Anyway, red bananas are small and when they’re ripe, they’re maroon colored on the outside.
Interesting! I’ll have to go read more into this…and I’ll keep an eye out for red bananas, too. Thanks for bringing this up, Jeff!
Sure thing.
Oh Jeff, your waffles look great, light and fluffy and yes packed with fresh strawberries, the way I like it!
Thanks for the recipe…have a wonderful week!
Juliana recently posted…Guava Swiss Roll
Thank you, Juliana!
Jeff, another great waffle recipe from you! I’ve now dubbed you ‘my waffle man’!
Thank you! I’m proud to bear the title!
Brunch is my favorite meal, and waffles are the best dish to serve. These look pretty darn perfect. You could open a waffle joint with all of your delicious waffle recipes! Really pretty photos.
Thank you, Valentina! I really enjoyed making these.
I’ve got some real maple syrup in my pantry. It’d be perfect on these! Now, I just need to get a waffle iron . . . 🙂
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Asparagus and Pork Stir-Fry
There should be a waffle iron borrowing program among like-minded foodie friends! I mean, who needs their iron every week?
What fun. I think I owned a waffle maker for a short time. My kids weren’t really into them, and it’s hard to add seeds and nuts and healthy stuff to waffle batter, but you can to make pancakes. But I’m wishing I had one now – i have a grandson whose first word was waffle!
mimi rippee recently posted…Singapore Noodles
What a brilliant grandchild! Get him his first spatula, quick!
It looks like they hold deep pools of syrup. I can see why people are so excited! GREG
sippitysup recently posted…The One Where Fish Tacos in Loreto are Coconut Shrimp Tacos at Home
I was pretty excited, too. Especially with the fruit. Too bad we don’t all live closer to one another – I’d invite you all to brunch!
I haven’t taken our waffle maker out of the cabinet in three years. I think it needs to make an appearance in the kitchen again as your waffles look great.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted…Jamaican Curry Shrimp
Thanks!
Gorgeous breakfast idea, Jeff! I don’t have a waffle maker but I go to this place in Vancouver called “Scandilicious” where they offer sweet and savory Gluten free waffles.
Balvinder recently posted…Torta Caprese – The Italian Flourless Chocolate Cake
Thanks! I’d love to visit Vancouver sometime.
The best waffles I ever had were in San Francisco! But yours look truelly amazing Jeff! Double Yum!
Thanks, Neil!
I need to haul out my waffle maker. To me, American breakfast waffles are served with bacon and maply syrup. That is how I enjoyed them when living over there. Your version sounds perfect 🙂
Thanks!
Looks yum banana and strawberry good for health.