The Ultimate American Waffles

By Jeni Britton Bauer

Trust me when I say that these are the ultimate American waffles. The batter is put together the night before and it gets really airy overnight. The results are fantastic: crispy outside, light and a bit chewy inside, with a warm, yeasty flavor. I love these for breakfast with our Sweet Cream Ice Cream with Blackberry Jam.

Recipe from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts by Jeni Britton Bauer. Order your copy here.

North Market Waffles, Sweet Cream Ice Cream & Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

North Market Waffles

2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Sweet Cream Ice Cream

2 2/3 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Blackberry Jam

2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1 cup sugar

Instructions

North Market Waffles

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Let cool until warm to the touch, about 105° to 110°F (if it’s hot on your finger, it’s too hot).

Combine the flours, sugar, salt, and yeast in large bowl. Add the milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a small bowl until combined, then add to the batter and whisk until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and stir until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours.

Heat your waffle iron (always heed the manufacturer’s instructions).
Remove the waffle batter from the refrigerator. The batter will be deflated; whisk it to recombine.

Use about 1/2 cup batter per waffle in a 7-inch round iron or about 1 cup in a 9-by-9-inch iron. Bake the waffles for 4 minutes, or until golden but not brown, and not caramelized or toasted. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a single layer on a wire rack in a 200°F oven while you cook the remaining waffles.

Sweet Cream Ice Cream

MAKES 1 QUART

Prep

Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.

Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Cook

Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heatproof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Chill

Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.

Freeze

Remove the frozen canister from the freezer, assemble your ice cream machine, and turn it on. Pour the ice cream base into the canister and spin until thick and creamy.

Pack the ice cream into a storage container. Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Blackberry Jam

MAKES ABOUT 1 1/4 CUPS

Combine the berries and sugar in a 1-quart saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then force through a sieve if you want to remove the seeds.

Refrigerate until cool, at least 2 hours.

The jam can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.