Sunday Brunch: Belgian Waffles

When in Bruges...

My family recently gathered to celebrate my Dad's 80th birthday with a birthday brunch of Belgian waffles. I had not made waffles in ages, so I was thankful for an excuse to use our waffle iron, which had been languishing unused in a dark corner of the cupboard.

I served the waffles warm, with whipped cream mixed with cream cheese, vanilla and a bit of sugar. Topped with sliced strawberries, freshly picked from a Fraser Valley garden, and fresh blueberries, the waffles made a decadent brunch for a special guy.

Birthday Belgian Brunch

As you make the waffles, keep them warm in a 200°F oven on a plate covered with a clean kitchen towel.

For a larger gathering with a bigger appetite, accompany the waffles with lots of fresh, sliced fruit, poached eggs, rashers of crisp bacon, a selection of muffins, and freshly brewed coffee.

Belgian Waffles
Based on this recipe from Alton Brown
Makes about 6 waffles, depending on the size of your waffle iron

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 whole eggs, beaten
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°f. Place a large oven-safe plate in the oven.
2. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Spray a paper towel with vegetable spray and wipe surfaces of waffle iron until every nook and cranny is coated.
3. In a large bowl, mix together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, beat eggs lightly. Stir in melted butter and buttermilk until combined.
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. It will be lumpy, that's OK!
6. Pour about a cup of waffle batter onto the waffle iron and close it. The waffle will be done when the steam stops (for my waffle iron, anyway. Yours may be different!).
7. Keep each waffle warm in the oven on the plate, covered with a kitchen towel.
8. Serve with special Cream Cheese Whipped Cream (recipe below) and fresh, sliced fruit.

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Ingredients
1 cup whipping cream
*4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Method

1. In a bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks are formed. Fold in softened cream cheese (microwave cream cheese for a few seconds if it's not soft). Stir in sugar and vanilla. Beat for another minute or so until soft peaks form again.

*For extra-special decadent whipped cream, substitute Mascarpone cheese for the cream cheese.