Catholic Recipe: Waffles II

Waffles again! These are a traditional Fat Tuesday food, and served on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, and also a possible dish to serve on the feast of St. Lawrence, as a reminder of the grill that was the instrument of his martyrdom.

You don't have to be told how good waffles are with syrup, honey, marmalade or stewed fruit. But you may not realize what attractive cases they make for serving creamed foods, and for leftovers and ice cream. You can even cook raw bacon placed directly on the batter, and have it come out crisp and nut brown. But be sure to treat your waffle iron with care. Manufacturer's directions should be followed exactly in seasoning a new electric waffle iron. Once conditioned the grids are neither greased nor washed. You may brush the iron out to remove any crumbs. The iron itself is never immersed in water. After use, merely wipe down the outside with a cloth well-wrung out in hot water.

The richer the waffle dough, the crisper the waffle becomes. With the butter flavor baked in, there is then no reason for ladling butter on top of the waffle. We also suggest beating egg whites separately for a superbly light result. Since waffles are made from a batter keep them tender by not overbearing or overtaxing the dough.

In high altitudes use about one-fourth less baking powder or soda than indicated in our recipes. If using the recipe with savory foods, omit the sugar.

DIRECTIONS

Sift before measuring. Mix all dry ingredients. Make a hole in the center of the sifted ingredients. Pour in the liquid ingredients. Combine them with a few swift strokes. The batter should have a pebbled look, similar to a muffin batter. At this time, superb as these waffles are "as is," you may want to include for variety one of optional ingredients.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Fold them into the batter until they are barely blended. To cook, heat a waffle iron until the indicator shows it is ready to use. If it has been properly conditioned, it will need no greasing, as most waffle batters are heavy in butter. Have the batter ready in a pitcher. Cover the grid surface two-thirds. Close the lid and wait about 4 minutes. When the waffle is ready, all steam will have stopped emerging from the crack of the iron. If you try to lift the top of the iron and the top shows resistance, it probably means the waffle is not quite done.