Raised Waffles

Best waffles ever.

I’m not always ready to start making breakfast the night before, but these waffles are worth it: amazingly light and crisp with a slightly yeasty flavor.  And since the batter is prepared the night before, all you have to do the next morning is cook them. Serve hot with room temperature butter and warmed maple syrup (how else??). A note of warning: These do not bake up well in a Belgian waffle iron.

Yield: 4 cups batter, 8-10 waffles depending on the waffle maker
Time: 10 minutes + overnight + 20 minutes the next day

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 cups milk, warmed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. 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 for 5 minutes, until yeast dissolves. Add the milk, butter, salt, sugar and flour to the yeast and beat until smooth and blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.
2. Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda and stir until well mixed. The batter will be very thin. Cook on a very hot waffle iron (use about 1/3 cup batter per grid). Bake until the waffles are golden and crisp to the touch.

Note: If there is any leftover batter, store in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will keep for several days.

From Marion Cunningham, reprinted in the San Francisco Chronicle, October 4, 2006.  Cunningham started writing for the Food section in 1986. She is the author of “Learning to Cook,” “Cooking With Children,” “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook,” “The Breakfast Book,” “The Supper Book,” and “Lost Recipes,” among others.  This recipe was noted as San Francisco Chronicle’s Top Recipe 1989.