Sunday Brunch Elderflower Waffles + Sourdough Version
This is a plan-ahead breakfast for easygoing Sunday mornings. If you don’t have a waffle-maker, then simply cook large spoonfuls of the batter in a hot pan to make hotcakes. The yoghurt is optional, or use a sourdough starter, both added for the lactic acid naturally found in yoghurt and sourdough that will soften the starch in the flour to give the waffles a gloriously light crumb.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (220g) white flour
- ½ cup (70g) wholemeal flour (or use all white flour)
- 2 eggs, separated
- ¾ cup (180ml) milk – dairy or plant-based
- ¼ cup (60ml) Elderflower & Lemon Cordial (or extra milk)
- ¼ cup (60ml) natural yoghurt (optional) or sourdough starter
- 50 g butter, melted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Butter or oil for cooking
- Mixed berries – I used frozen that were thawed and gently warmed
- Yoghurt or whipped cream
- Runny honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Saturday evening: Place the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well and add the egg yolks, milk, cordial and yoghurt and whisk into a thick batter. Cover with a plate and place in the fridge overnight. Put the egg whites in a covered container and leave on the bench overnight – don’t refrigerate, or they will take longer to whisk in the morning.
- In the morning, remove the batter from the fridge. Melt the butter and fold it into the batter, along with the baking powder.
- Place the egg whites and sugar in a bowl and use an electric whisk to mix until soft peaks form. Add a spoonful of the whites to the batter to loosen, then gently fold through the remaining meringue. Don’t over-mix so to keep the volume in the mix. This step can be skipped, but the waffles won’t be quite as light, instead add the whole egg and sugar to the batter in the evening.
- Heat a waffle maker. Add a small knob of butter (I prefer to use clarified butter as it won’t burn) and use a pastry brush to evenly coat the hot plates. Ladle ½ cup batter into the maker and lower the lid. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes.
- Alternatively, use a heavy-based frying pan and cook hotcakes over a moderate heat until golden on both sides.
- Place cooked waffles on a cake rack to serve at the table to prevent them from sweating. Serve immediately with warmed berries, yoghurt or cream and drizzle with honey.