Sourdough Waffles

Name: Sourdough Waffles
Prep time: 10 minutes active
Total time: 30 minutes + overnight rest
Yield: 6-8 waffles
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 200g sourdough discard; 200g all-purpose flour; 240g whole milk; 2 large eggs; 60g unsalted butter (melted); 25g sugar; 4g (about 3/4 teaspoon) baking soda; 3g salt

BeginnerPrep: 10 minutes activeTotal: 30 minutes + overnight restYield: 6-8 waffles

These waffles have an almost unreasonably crispy exterior -- the kind that shatters when you bite in. The overnight ferment with sourdough discard develops tang and breaks down the flour, giving you a batter that crisps up better than any standard waffle recipe. They're worth setting your discard aside for.

Ingredients

200gsourdough discard-- straight from the fridge
200gall-purpose flour(100%)
240gwhole milk
2 largeeggs
60gunsalted butter (melted)
25gsugar
4g (about 3/4 teaspoon)baking soda
3gsalt

Instructions

1
The night before, combine the discard, flour, and milk in a large bowl. Stir until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
2
In the morning, whisk the eggs, melted butter, sugar, and salt into the batter until smooth.
3
Sprinkle the baking soda over the batter and fold it in gently. The batter will puff and bubble. Don't overmix.
The baking soda is what makes these waffles special. It reacts with the sourdough's acidity for extra lift and helps the exterior brown and crisp.
4
Heat your waffle iron according to its instructions. Grease lightly if needed.
5
Pour batter onto the iron (amount depends on your model -- about 120-180ml per waffle). Close and cook until the steam stops and the waffle is deeply golden, usually 4-5 minutes.
Don't open the iron early. The steam escaping is moisture leaving the waffle -- that's what makes it crispy. Once the steam slows to a wisp, it's done.
6
Serve immediately, or keep finished waffles crispy on a wire rack in a 95C (200F) oven. Don't stack them or they'll steam each other and get soggy.

Tips

For maximum crispiness, cook the waffles a shade darker than you think you should. The color deepens and the crunch intensifies.
These freeze incredibly well. Cool completely, then freeze in a single layer. Reheat directly in a toaster -- they come out crispy.
Swap 50g of the flour for cornstarch for an even crispier exterior. The cornstarch interferes with gluten formation, which is exactly what you want in a waffle.
The overnight fermentation isn't just for flavor. The enzymes break down starches into sugars, which caramelize and brown better in the waffle iron.

Sourdough Waffles

BeginnerPrep: 10 minutes activeTotal: 30 minutes + overnight restYield: 6-8 waffles

Ingredients

200gsourdough discard-- straight from the fridge
200gall-purpose flour(100%)
240gwhole milk
2 largeeggs
60gunsalted butter (melted)
25gsugar
4g (about 3/4 teaspoon)baking soda
3gsalt

Instructions

1
The night before, combine the discard, flour, and milk in a large bowl. Stir until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
2
In the morning, whisk the eggs, melted butter, sugar, and salt into the batter until smooth.
3
Sprinkle the baking soda over the batter and fold it in gently. The batter will puff and bubble. Don't overmix.
The baking soda is what makes these waffles special. It reacts with the sourdough's acidity for extra lift and helps the exterior brown and crisp.
4
Heat your waffle iron according to its instructions. Grease lightly if needed.
5
Pour batter onto the iron (amount depends on your model -- about 120-180ml per waffle). Close and cook until the steam stops and the waffle is deeply golden, usually 4-5 minutes.
Don't open the iron early. The steam escaping is moisture leaving the waffle -- that's what makes it crispy. Once the steam slows to a wisp, it's done.
6
Serve immediately, or keep finished waffles crispy on a wire rack in a 95C (200F) oven. Don't stack them or they'll steam each other and get soggy.

Tips

For maximum crispiness, cook the waffles a shade darker than you think you should. The color deepens and the crunch intensifies.
These freeze incredibly well. Cool completely, then freeze in a single layer. Reheat directly in a toaster -- they come out crispy.
Swap 50g of the flour for cornstarch for an even crispier exterior. The cornstarch interferes with gluten formation, which is exactly what you want in a waffle.
The overnight fermentation isn't just for flavor. The enzymes break down starches into sugars, which caramelize and brown better in the waffle iron.