Pumpkin Waffles with Brown Butter, Almond & Other flours

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

1. Prepare the pumpkin purée

Step 2

Bake Hokkaido pumpkin in large wedges at 190–200°C until completely tender and lightly caramelized around the edges.

Step 3

Remove the seeds and purée the flesh until smooth. Measure 180 g purée.

Step 4

The purée should be thick, approximately the consistency of thick mashed potatoes or Greek yogurt. If it is loose or watery, spread it in a shallow pan and gently heat for several minutes, stirring, until some of the water evaporates. Cool completely before using. Do not drain the pumpkin through a sieve unless necessary; concentrating it by evaporation preserves more pumpkin solids and flavor.

Step 5

Place 55 g butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the water has evaporated and the milk solids become golden brown and nutty-smelling. Transfer immediately to a bowl and cool until warm but not hot. You should have approximately 45–48 g browned butter.

Step 6

Whisk together the pumpkin purée, eggs, buttermilk or kefir, maple syrup, brown sugar, browned butter, vanilla, ginger, orange zest, cardamom and nutmeg. Mix until evenly combined but do not whip.

Step 7

In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain wheat flour, whole-wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Step 8

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula just until no obvious dry flour remains. Do not overmix. The finished batter should be thick but spoonable, able to spread when the waffle iron closes. If the batter is excessively thick, add 10–15 g additional buttermilk. If it is unusually loose, add 5–10 g wheat flour.

Step 9

Rest the batter for 15–20 minutes at room temperature. This allows the whole-wheat flour to hydrate and the batter to become more cohesive. Do not rest it for much longer, as the chemical leavening will gradually lose effectiveness.

Step 10

Preheat the Tefal Snack Collection Precision SW873BF0 thoroughly. Use approximately medium-high heat, around 4–5 on a numbered setting, if applicable to your machine. Lightly grease the plates before the first waffle. Add enough batter to fill the waffle pattern without overflowing when the lid closes. The exact quantity depends on the fill level of the waffle plates. Cook for approximately 4½–6 minutes. The waffles are ready when steam production has substantially decreased, the exterior is deeply golden brown, the surface feels dry rather than soft, the waffle releases easily from the plates, and the ridges have formed a firm, crisp shell. For this recipe, allow the waffles to become slightly darker than a conventional breakfast waffle. The additional browning helps compensate for the moisture from the pumpkin.

Step 11

Do not stack finished waffles. Place them individually on a wire rack. If cooking several waffles, keep the cooked waffles in a 100–110°C oven while finishing the batch. Avoid placing them directly on a plate, where trapped steam will soften the crust.

Step 12

1. Peel the apples if desired and cut them into thick wedges. 2. Heat 15 g butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. 3. Add the apples and cook until browned on the cut surfaces while remaining intact. 4. Add the maple syrup, water, ginger, orange zest, cardamom and salt. 5. Cook until the apples are glossy and lightly caramelized. 6. Remove from the heat and finish with 10 g lemon juice. The apples should be sweet, buttery and caramelized, but still retain enough acidity and structure to contrast with the waffles.

Step 13

Combine the Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, orange zest and salt. Keep the yogurt only lightly sweetened. Its acidity is an important counterpoint to the pumpkin, apple and maple

Step 14

Place 2 waffles per serving on a plate. Top with warm caramelized apples and a generous spoonful of vanilla-orange Greek yogurt. Finish with toasted pecans or hazelnuts and, if desired, a small drizzle of maple syrup. Serve immediately.

Step 15

Waffles are wet or gummy: The pumpkin purée was probably too wet, or the waffles were undercooked. Concentrate the pumpkin further and cook the waffles longer and darker. Waffles are dense: Avoid overmixing. Check that the baking powder is fresh and do not increase the whole-wheat flour. Waffles are fragile: Cook them longer first. If they remain fragile, reduce almond flour to 25 g and replace the missing 5 g with wheat flour. Waffles are not crisp: Concentrate the pumpkin, ensure the waffle iron is fully preheated, and cook until steam production has significantly decreased. Never stack finished waffles. Waffles brown too quickly: Reduce the heat slightly and cook for longer. The pumpkin, maple syrup and brown sugar all contribute to rapid browning.