They look wonderful!

Ann, they look wonderful and I can't wait to make them. Good thing I just stocked up on maple syrup.

I'll be waiting for your blog post...

Nancy

Finally got in! Those look delicious!

Drool...

Nancy, I posted to the blog.

Here is the recipe.

Yeast Raised Waffles
Source: Marion Cunningham's Breakfast Book

MAKES 20 WAFFLES
1 (2 1/4 teaspoons) package active dry yeast
2 cups milk
ý cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for serving
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 cups flour NOTE: The batter is very thin, intended for regular waffle makers.
I added 3/4 cups additional flour so the batter would be thick enough to make Belgian Waffles.
2 eggs
ü tsp. baking soda
Maple syrup, for serving

Use a rather large mixing bowl, the batter will rise to double its original volume. Put the water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand to dissolve for 5 minutes. Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar, and flour to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth and blended. (I often use a hand rotary beater to get rid of the lumps.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature. (original recipe calls for leaving on counter overnight, but some edited recipes say to refrigerate over night) Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda, and stir until well mixed. The batter will be very thin. (Add additional flour if using Belgian Waffle Maker) Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into a very hot waffle iron. Bake the waffles until they are golden and crisp. This batter will keep well for several days in the refrigerator.

NOTE: The amount of batter will depend on the Waffle Maker. I needed to use one full cup for each Waffle.

This post was edited by ann_t on Mon, May 13, 13 at 15:17

Yum, Ann T, those look amazing. I'm saving that recipe, so thanks, Rob.

Annie

These look and sound great, I might try it out for Mother's Day breakfast. Here is Cook's Illustrated's recipe, just to compare method and ingredient proportions:

The batter must be made 12 to 24 hours in advance. We prefer the texture of the waffles made in a classic waffle iron, but a Belgian waffle iron will work, though it will make fewer waffles. The waffles are best served fresh from the iron but can be held in an oven until all of the batter is used. As you make the waffles, place them on a wire rack set above a baking sheet, cover them with a clean kitchen towel, and place the baking sheet in a 200-degree oven. When the final waffle is in the iron, remove the towel to allow the waffles to crisp for a few minutes. These waffles are quite rich; buttering them before eating is not compulsory and, to some, may even be superfluous.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4cups whole milk, or low-fat milk, or skim milk
8tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
1tablespoon granulated sugar
1teaspoon table salt
1 1/2teaspoons instant yeast
2 large eggs
1teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat milk and butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool milk/butter mixture until warm to touch. Meanwhile, whisk flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in large bowl to combine. Gradually whisk warm milk/butter mixture into flour mixture; continue to whisk until batter is smooth. In small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla until combined, then add egg mixture to batter and whisk until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
2. Following manufacturerâÂÂs instructions, heat waffle iron; remove waffle batter from refrigerator when waffle iron is hot (batter will be foamy and doubled in size). Whisk batter to recombine (batter will deflate). Bake waffles according to manufacturerâÂÂs instructions (use about ý cup for 7-inch round iron and about 1 cup for 9-inch square iron). Serve waffles immediately or hold in low temperature oven (see above note).

The main difference between the two recipes seems to be the adding of the eggs to the batter and then refrigerating. Marion Cunningham's recipe has the eggs added after the overnight rise.

Apparently some people are concerned about leaving the batter, even without the eggs, to rise over night on the counter. Smitten Kitchen tried the recipe both ways. Leaving it out on the counter and also refrigerating. Both worked but she felt that the flavour was substantially better with the batter that had been left on the counter..

~Ann

You are most welcome. It just really struck me as something you would make.

Something I would make, too! I made them for Mother's Day breakfast yesterday and they were perfect in both taste and texture. I followed Ann's advice and added more flour because I have a Belgian waffle maker. As long as I have the forethought to start them in the evening, this will be my go-to waffle recipe going forward. Thanks guys!

I also made these last week-end and was disappointed with the flavor. The recipe that I made up myself tastes much better to me and also has a texture that I prefer. However, I might try this recipe again with some changes, as I found the waffles to be very bland and airy, whether I made them crisp or not. Not only that, several of them stuck to my waffle maker, and I had never had that happen before. Maybe the recipe needs even more butter (At first I thought it had a lot!), but after the waffles started sticking, I started buttering the inside of the waffle maker, and the extra butter helped the flavor.

Changes I would make: double the eggs (I like my waffles to taste more like crepes), omit the water and proof the yeast in the milk, and substitute cream for half of the milk. Also, instead of the 1/4 tsp of soda, I would add 1 tsp of vodka at the final mixing. For me, this helps the texture a lot. In addition, I think I would like to use whole wheat flour for half of the flour. I will also need to use a slightly larger bowl, as the one I used filled up completely, but the plastic wrap on top prevented any spilling. I do like the yeast better than the baking powder, as I think that baking powder gives a somewhat metallic taste to the waffles, and I do not mind a slight yeast flavor. I also like being able to make the batter the night before so that I can cook them as soon as I get up - that gave me time to do some gardening in the morning before it got too sunny. Kevin continued to garden until noon.

I am glad I tried this recipe, as I had been reluctant to make yeast waffles before, partly because I was so happy with my old recipe. While I still prefer my old recipe to this one, I think I can combine the two to make something more to my taste. I personally think that the 1/2 cup water in the original recipe was a mistake, since it does not appear in the ingredients list, and that's why Ann needed to add the 3/4 cup of additional flour. The dry to wet ingredients proportion seems to be better in FOAS's recipe. I'm not sure how I would feel about the vanilla in the recipe, but it might have enough alcohol to have a similar effect to the vodka. I might decide to try Canadian Whisky in place of vodka.

Lars

Interesting, mine didn't stick at all. And my kids even ate the leftover waffles without toppings so no taste complaints here. I think the whole idea of the yeast based batter is to end up with a slightly breadier tasting waffle. If you follow the link in Ann's original post it does call for the half cup water in the ingredients list. I was very happy all around, but if you develop a recipe that you prefer I'd definitely give it a shot!

I made them this past weekend as well. They surpassed my expectations on all levels. Light, crispy and perfect.
Darn you Ann. I think your recipes have caused me to gain unwanted pounds. Your oatmeal cookies are a must have around here. Your green sauce is a favorite, too. Please stop tempting me with your to die for photos and great recipes.Once again a winner. Thank you. Mary

I did go to the original recipe (for the first time - I missed that link before) and noticed that the recipe says to leave the dough out overnight and not refrigerate it. This is supposed to give a sourdough flavor and make superior waffles, and so I will try that next time. Perhaps that is the step that makes the difference. Here's a quote from Smitten Kitten:

"IâÂÂve gushed enough about the smell/texture/flavor/ease of this recipe so let me cut right through to the scary part: Cunningham, terrifyingly, instructs us to leave the batter -- a batter with milk! and yeast! -- out on the counter overnight at room temperature. She gives no schedule for this (what if your kid lets you sleep in?!) and doesnâÂÂt even give mention to the whole wonâÂÂt-the-milk-go-bad? thing. I -- no surprise -- am a little more panicky about whatâÂÂs unsaid in recipes. I made it the first time as she instructs. Oh man, it looks FUNKY in the morning, and the smell, well⦠How could it be right? I made it a second time, letting it overnight in the fridge, as many writers have interpreted since. HereâÂÂs what you need to know: both work but the one that fermented at room temperature came in miles ahead in the flavor category. It had an unmistakable sourdough (yeah, I know, not the word you want to hear about room temperature milk baked goods) vibe. I became instantly obsessed with the flavor. The flavor from the fridge batch was excellent, but no comparison. Proceed as you wish (both methods are tested and work) but do please consider the original room temperature method. ItâÂÂs just better."

Lars

Mary, I think that you should blame Rob this time. :-)

Lars, I disagree with Smitten Kitchen. I left the batter on the counter overnight and did not detect what I would call a sourdough "vipe". Nothing like what I associate with a sourdough smell. Just a normal yeasty smell. The original recipe calls for leaving it on the counter. I don't think that there is any confusion.

Once the batter is finished with the eggs added, if should be refrigerated if not being used right away.

~Ann

Picture of the lovely Mother's day Breakfast that Foodonastump made yesterday for his wife and kids.

I must have been tired when I made the recipe - I did not read all of the notes carefully enough and mostly just read the list of ingredients, not realizing that there was more to the method than what I was used to. I liked the idea of storing it in the fridge over night, since it got it out of the way, but I won't do that next time.

Nice that we have such a good selection of fresh berried available now - raspberries were cheap when I was shopping yesterday.

Lars

Aw, blame? Doncha mean credit? Not really. Your pictures are where the credit lays. That surely isn't anything I've done!