Remember that half-can of pumpkin puree left over after the dinner rolls were baked? Well, I turned it into the waffles, really nice ones – light and crispy, and delicate inside. Another great thing about them is that the waffle batter is mixed in advance, and there are only eggs added right before baking (while the waffle maker is preheating) – quite convenient. The waffles can be served with maple syrup and/or maple syrup-flavoured whipped cream and toasted walnuts, or with a store-bought all natural Breyers Maple Walnut ice cream – delicious!
This is a quick and the only shot I’d taken before they were all gobbled up. And the waffles definitely should be eaten as soon as they’ve been baked.
Makes 8 large, super-deep pocket round waffles
Ingredients:
- ½ cup lukewarm water
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 7 oz (½ can) canned pumpkin puree, at room temperature
- 1½ cups warm milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure maple extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Preparation:
The night before baking (at least 8 hours ahead), in a large bowl, combine the warm water, 1 tsp of the granulated sugar and yeast. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for 10 minutes, until foamy.
Whisk the pumpkin puree, milk, and maple syrup into the yeast mixture. Whisk in the melted butter. Gradually whisk in the flours, spices, and salt, mix until well combined and smooth. Cover the bowl tightly with oil-sprayed plastic wrap and let stand overnight on the counter. Do not refrigerate.
When ready to bake, preheat your Belgian waffle maker. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 200F. Place a cooling rack onto a large baking sheet and set aside. While the waffle maker is heating, whisk the eggs, maple and vanilla extracts, and baking soda into the batter. Use a measuring scoop to measure out the batter. Pour onto the hot waffle grids (don’t forget to spray the grids with oil before the first batch). Spread the batter evenly over the grids using a heat-proof spatula. Close the cover and bake according to your waffle manufacturer’s directions. If the waffle is not served right away, put the waffle onto the cooling rack and slide into the preheated oven while making the rest of the waffles. It will prevent the waffles from losing crispiness and will keep them warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Or, cover the leftover batter with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir the batter before baking. Any baked and left over waffles can be reheated on the rack set over the baking sheet in the 325F oven for about 10 minutes or so. Or, they can be wrapped first in plastic, then in foil and frozen. No need to defrost them before heating in the oven, just add a few minutes to the heating time.
