Crispy secrets: Why butter makes waffles perfect every time
In winter, it's comforting to reminisce about summer. It always lifts the spirits and helps to endure the grey, gloomy days with a disheartening lack of sunshine. Then, it's a delightful idea to start the day with crispy waffles topped with vibrant toppings. You can put whatever you fancy on them – chocolate spread, fruit preserves, fresh fruits, and whipped cream. After all, nothing evokes memories like dishes relished during the summer.
Often, in theory, everything seems so lovely and colourful. The daydreamed and imagined waffles are soft inside, golden and crispy on the outside. Meanwhile, in reality, they may turn out pale and rubbery. Why does this happen? The most common cause is haste and the mistaken belief that waffles can be made with pancake batter. Simply making a thick batter and baking it in a waffle iron is a recipe for disappointment.
Waffles won't turn out crispy without this addition
The key ingredient for waffle batter, without which they won't turn out golden and crispy, is real, melted butter. It's replaced with vegetable oil in many recipes, which can achieve a similar effect. However, waffles made with butter taste much better. They are naturally sweet and have a lovely creamy texture.
Butter in the waffle batter also contributes to the fluffiness and pliability. It makes the batter stickier and traps air bubbles inside. You'll see them in baked waffles as characteristic holes. Furthermore, butter caramelises during baking, resulting in a golden and crispy surface on the waffles.
Waffles not only sweet
Even slightly sweet waffles pair wonderfully with savoury toppings. My favourite combination is fresh lettuce mixed with cucumber and tomato, topped with drained canned tuna. I finish it with a few black olives and drizzle the whole thing with classic vinaigrette.
Leszek Klimasz, who designs diets for children with obesity, suggests waffles with chicken, which are perfect as a snack for a mid-morning meal.
Recipe for crispy waffles with butter
Waffles should be baked in a waffle iron with at least 1200 watts of power.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs,
- 100g of sugar,
- 500ml of milk,
- 250g of flour,
- 100g of melted butter,
- 3 teaspoons of baking powder,
- a pinch of sea salt.
Preparation:
- Take the eggs out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
- Heat the milk with butter, but do not bring to the boil. Set aside to cool.
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
- Mix the yolks with sugar until creamy. Add milk with butter, then sifted flour mixed with baking powder. Mix with a pinch of salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold them into the waffle batter.
- Pour the batter onto a heated waffle iron using a scoop. Do not open during baking.
- Remove the ready waffles to a rack to prevent them from becoming rubbery as they cool.
