Gingerbread Belgian Waffles

By mm_food4me

These waffles have the flavor of just-baked gingerbread, and are delicious served with fresh fruit or caramelized apples and pears.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs or mix of graham cracker crumbs and gingersnap crumbs
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
• 2 cups warm milk (about 105 degrees F)
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean paste

Preparation

Step 1

Measure the water into a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and yeast; stir to dissolve. Let stand 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, ginger, and lemon zest; stir to combine. Reserve. Add the milk, egg yolks, melted cooled butter, and vanilla to the yeast mixture. Stir until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth, using a hand mixer on low speed. Cover with waxed paper and let stand to rise, in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Gently fold them into the batter.

Preheat the Waring Pro Professional Belgian Waffle Maker on setting #4 or preferred setting (green indicator light will be illuminated when preheated).

For best results, do not open waffle maker during cooking process. Doing so will offset the timing mechanism.

Using the measuring scoop to measure out batter, spreading evenly into waffle grids. Close lid and rotate 180 degrees to the right and bake in the hot waffle baker until beeper sounds. Rotate waffle maker 180 degrees to the left. Remove waffle and repeat with remaining batter. Waffles may be kept warm in a low (200 degrees F) oven. Place waffles arranged on a cookie sheet on a rack in the warm oven. Serve with lemon curd, fruit, jam, powdered sugar, a warm fruit syrup, or whipped cream.