Basic Waffles

Waffles - when I think of them I think of Belgium.  Spent a couple of days in Brussels during the Beer Festival, some years ago.  More than the Beer what excited me were the waffles.  Topped with strawberries, bananas, cream and then chocolate syrup.  Impossible to eat a full waffle and heartbreaking to have to share it.

This is the recipe for a regular waffle.  

Top it with the above and you are set.  

Top it with Bacon and maple syrup for a slice of heaven.

Top it with just powdered sugar

Top it with butter

Top it with anything - its an experience of its own

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp castor sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 tbsp melted butter + additional butter for the iron
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Toppings of your choice

Method

• Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites to stiff peaks
• Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl
• Mix the egg yolks with the milk, butter and vanilla essence.
• Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, taking care not to overmix.  Lumps are fine.
• Fold in the beaten egg whites into the mix.
• Bake in a preheated iron till golden brown.
• Serve topped with toppings of your choice.

Banoffee Pie

This one was made quite some time back and I never got around to posting the recipe or pic. This is a simplified version of the original Banoffee Pie.

The term Banoffee is derived from a combination of Banana and Toffee and is an old English Dessert. The base is normally a shortbread pastry crust. a filling of Dulce de Leche which is a caramalised condensed milk, covered with Sliced Banana and then topped with whipped cream. The Dulce de Leche can be made at home by cooking a can of condensed milk this thick and golden

My version is quicker and easier. Also I like to make small portions as everyone at my home wants a new dessert daily hence this was made in individual pie dishes.

I like to use caramel sauce instead of the Dulce de Leche as its faster to make.  Also I can them make a big batch and keep away to use with brownies, apple pies etc.

The recipe below serves 8 - 10 people so can be scaled down.  

Ingredients

250g digestive biscuits, crushed100g butter, melted
1 cup Dulce de Leche or 1 cup caramel sauce
4 small bananas
300 ml whipping cream, whipped


Method

Crush the biscuits in a ziplock bag and tip them into a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix well till it clumps. Line an 8" pie dish with the crumbs going up the sides also. Keep in the freezer to set

To make the Dulce De Leche

Empty the condensed milk into an oven-proof dish and tightly cover it with foil.

Make a water bath by placing the covered dish in a larger pan and filling it up with water to the 3/4 level. Bake at 220 C for 1-1.5 hours checking every 30 minutes on the water level and adding more as needed.

Dulce de leche is ready when the condensed milk it takes on a brown caramel-like appearance. Remove from the oven and whisk to smoothness. Let cool before storing.

To make the Caramel Sauce

60 gms sugar
20 ml water
30 gms water
35 gms cream

Place water and sugar in a heavy bottom pan and stir with a spatula over low heat till sugar dissolves

Add butter and stir to combine till butter has melted.

Let mix come to a boil and cook till a golden caramel colour

Remove from heat and add in cream. Mix will foam over. Using a whisk combine well

Return to low heat and cook for 10-15 min till creamy consistancy reached.

Assembling

• Spread the top of the frozen biscuit base with caramel or Dulce de Leche. 
• Then layer with sliced bananas
• Spoon the whipped cream on top covering the bananas.
• Decorate with grated chocolate or a slice of banana just before serving.