Lime poppy seed waffles and memories of traveling

Living in pandemic times is tiresome, and one of the things I miss the most is traveling: from time to time I browse the photos I took in past trips. First I thought that it would be painful to see those photos, but actually it felt really good to realize the privilege I had to know so many wonderful places. Even with the vaccination process going forward, traveling abroad will no longer be like it used to, given the Brazilian currency is completely devaluated. Traveling abroad is now only for a selected group of people, like it used to be in the past, when I was a kid and a teenager.

I look at the photos and think of the wonderful places I visited, the beautiful museums and parks, the restaurants and delicious meals I had. It makes me nostalgic, but happy at the same time.

While browsing my travel photos on a flash drive, I found a folder with recipes I made a good while ago but, for some reason, I did not post here because I did not like the photo, did not like the recipe result, or because of a certain ingredient, like these waffles: poppy seeds have been hard to find in Brazil, therefore I ended up forgetting about the recipe.

Weeks ago I was finally able to buy some poppy seeds and immediately baked an orange cake with them – after that, I posted these waffles on my blog in Portuguese, and now I post them here too. The waffles are delicious, perfumed with lime and with an extra crunch from the poppy seeds – I hope you like them.

 

Lime poppy seed waffles

own recipe, adapted from these waffles

 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

finely grated zest of 2 large limes

1 ¼ cups (175g) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 large egg, room temperature

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature

2 teaspoons lime juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

In a medium bowl, place the sugar and lime zest and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add the flour, baking powder, poppy seeds and salt and whisk well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, milk, lime juice and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated – do not overmix.

Heat a waffle iron until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray – my waffle maker is nonstick, so I do not coat it.

Working in batches, cook waffles until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

Makes 5-6 waffles

Cocoa waffles with caramelized bananas

Sometimes I think about how many times we change our minds throughout different phases of life, ages, etc. I always say that I don’t get a tattoo because I am not able to like something forever – I would probably regret the tattoo right after getting inked.

When I was younger I thought that breakfast in bed was oh, so cool: the romcoms I watched as a teenager gave me the impression that having breakfast in bed was truly romantic. Now, at the age of 42, I don’t want to eat anything in bed – dirty sheets, crumbs prickling me at night? Thanks, but no thanks. :)

So I would rather have my breakfast on the table, and for the weekend, when I have more time, waffles go really well: I love this recipe for I believe chocolate and bananas are a match made in heaven. And of course you can serve these waffles as dessert, too.

 

Cocoa waffles with caramelized bananas

own recipe

 

Waffles:

1 cup (140g) all purpose flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

pinch of table salt

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled – for crispier waffles, replace butter with olive oil or canola oil

1 cup (240ml) buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Caramelized bananas:

2 ½ tablespoons - 35g – unsalted butter

1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 medium bananas, sliced in coins

1 ½ tablespoons whisky, Marsala, rum or water (if you don’t want to use booze)

 

In a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, butter, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and fold until incorporated – batter will be sort of lumpy, that is OK.

Heat a waffle iron. Add about 1/3 cup of batter per waffle (adjust the amount of batter depending on the size of your machine), then cook following the manufacturer's instructions, until the waffles are golden brown.

While the waffles cook, prepare the bananas: melt butter in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat. Add the sugar and the cinnamon and mix with a spatula until sugar starts to melt. Add the bananas and cook them ever so slightly on both sides until golden. Add the booze (if using) carefully not to get burned. Mix to dissolve the caramel in the frying pan and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and serve immediately with the waffles.

Serves 4

Pizza flavored whole wheat waffles and very different vacations

I was on vacation for most of July and it was very different from all the other previous vacations I ever took: in quarantine, I stayed home all the time. I had plans to go back to NYC this year, but unfortunately had to postpone the trip to god knows when due to the pandemic. On my vacation there was no travelling, no walking around the city, no nothing. I saw one movie a day, some TV shows, cooked a lot. I organized my books and my closet, took naps after lunch and rested.

In one of the afternoons watching movies I felt like nibbling on something, and there was freshly baked cake, but I really wanted something savory. I adapted my recipe for orange olive oil waffles to make it flavored like pizza, with cheese and dried oregano, and also added a bit of whole wheat flour to make the waffles more interesting and nuttier in flavor. The waffles turned out delicious, therefore I share the recipe with you today.

 

Pizza flavored whole wheat waffles

own recipe

 

100g all purpose flour

75g whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 large egg, room temperature

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature

1 cup (70g) coarsely grated yellow mozzarella*

2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, oregano and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil and milk. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated – do not overmix. Stir in the cheeses.

Heat a waffle iron until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray – my waffle maker is nonstick, so I do not coat it.

Working in batches, cook waffles until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

* the yellow mozzarella I used is not like fresh mozzarella balls, therefore it does not release too much liquid. Replace by cheddar or something similar texture wise.

Makes 5-6 waffles

Orange olive oil waffles

I do not make waffles very often because my husband does not like them, leaving me to eat the whole batch alone (not pretty), but since I like them a lot I am always interested in trying new flavors and toppings. A bit of research led me to the fact that the key to get crispier, crunchier on the outside waffles was to use oil instead of butter, and it actually worked.

Now that I no longer can eat regular dairy I have been making my waffles like the ones I bring you today, with olive oil and lactose-free milk, but if you prefer the butter flavor over the crispy texture it is just a matter of replacing the olive oil with melted unsalted butter.

I absolutely love the combination of orange and blueberries – one of my favorite flavor combos – so it is my duty to tell you that the waffles taste amazing served with the baked blueberry jam I posted a couple of years ago (it works well with frozen, thawed blueberries when fresh ones are not available).

Orange olive oil waffles
own recipe

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1 large egg
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, place the sugar and orange zest and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, olive oil, milk and vanilla. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until incorporated – do not overmix.

Heat a waffle iron until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray – my waffle maker is nonstick, so I do not coat it.
Working in batches, cook waffles until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.

Makes 5-6 waffles

Brazilian carrot cake waffles with chocolate glaze

One of the childhood memories I most cherish is the image of my mom in the kitchen baking cakes – she was a hell of a cook but was also famous for her sweet treats.

The two cakes I remember the most are the chocolate cake and the carrot cake – the Brazilian carrot cake, with chocolate glaze: oh, so delicious (there is a recipe here for those of you not familiar with it).

One day I got myself thinking about mom’s carrot cake, but I would not have time to bake it. Since I wanted instant gratification I decided to tweak the recipe ever so slightly and turned the cake into waffles – they were really good!

I have been making these sometimes ever since, for they are super quick and fuss free to make – instant gratification with a touch of nostalgia.

Brazilian carrot cake waffles with chocolate glaze
own creation

Waffles:
2 small carrots (200g/7oz), peeled and chopped
2 large eggs
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) canola oil
1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Chocolate glaze:
1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup (60ml) whole milk, room temperature

Waffles: place the carrots, eggs and oil in a blender and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in the flour, baking powder and salt until a smooth batter forms.

Heat a waffle iron until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray – my waffle maker is nonstick, so I don’t coat it.
Working in batches, cook waffles until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
Serve waffles with the chocolate glaze.

Chocolate glaze: place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture starts to boil. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes – glaze will thicken a bit more as it cools. Serve over waffles.

Serves about 6

Waffles for crazy, hectic days

My days have been pretty hectic lately, too much to learn in a short period of time – I haven’t cooked much and I don’t remember the last time I actually baked something (I made chocolate mousse last weekend for Sunday’s lunch, let’s pretend that counts). :) The crazy routine is not supposed to last forever, and while it does I’ll try not to let it get in the way of my posts here, but I won’t make promises I cannot keep – I just hope that those of you who have been around for so long bear with me during these days and do not jump ship. :)

I made these waffles a couple of weeks ago to go with an episode of Hannibal (I am brave enough to eat while watching it) and they turned out so good I had to share them with you: crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, perfumed with vanilla, they are absolutely delicious, and the good thing is the batter is put together in no time and can be refrigerated overnight if tightly covered – if you’re pressed for time like I have been lately, this recipe should be permanently on your refrigerator door.

Waffles
from the beautiful Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes

2 eggs, separated
pinch of salt
1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
4 ½ tablespoons (63g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 ½ cups (210g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature

Whisk the egg whites and the salt until they’re fluffy and just holding soft peaks.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla until creamy. Whisk in the butter, then the flour and baking powder (batter will be thick). Add the milk, then fold in the egg whites.

Heat a waffle iron. Add about 1/3 cup of batter per waffle, then cook following the manufacturer's instructions, until the waffles are golden brown. Serve immediately.

Makes about 6

Banana waffles with chocolate sauce

My sister came over the other day for lunch and she spent the afternoon here with me, but this time, instead of playing Super Mario, I suggested we watched Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, for she had never watched the original version – I’m really biased here for this is one of my all time favorite movies and I cannot conceive the idea of a Willy Wonka other than Gene Wilder (sorry, Johnny, but you really sucked at playing that part). :)

She loved the movie – which was no surprise to me – but at some point she told me it wasn’t easy watching it without having something to snack on: all that chocolate made my sister crave something sweet, and since we’d had such a light lunch I thought that waffles would make our afternoon even nicer.

I used a recipe from a Brazilian blog I adore but instead of adding chocolate chips to the batter as my friend Richie did, I made a chocolate glaze to pour over the waffles – Willy Wonka would be proud. ;)

Banana waffles with chocolate sauce
slightly adapted from a beautiful Brazilian blog

Waffles:
1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
200ml whole milk, room temperature
1 medium banana, mashed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate sauce:
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons milk

Waffles: place ingredients in a large mixing bowl and combine until well blended and smooth. Let batter sit for 5 minutes before using.
Heat the waffle maker until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the machine, close and cook until cooked through and golden.

Make the chocolate sauce: mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over high heat, whisking, until it comes to a boil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking, until thickened.
Remove from heat and let it stand for 5 minutes before pouring it over the waffles

Serves 4

Churros waffles for my sister

I sometimes look at photos of my sister as a kid and my eyes tear up a little bit – I miss those days, she was a fun, smart kid, it was great being around her. I love telling her the funny things she used to say and do back in the day, the games she liked to play, the clothes she liked to wear – like the T-shirt I gave her when she was around two years old and that she wanted to wear every single day, to her mother’s despair – and the food she liked to eat. She was never picky; she loved salads and ice cream, strawberries and chocolate cake, and would also devour a plate of pasta or rice and beans like nobody’s business.

Her taste has changed over the years, naturally – she still loves strawberries and chocolate cake, but won’t eat bacon anymore. Still, it is always a nice feeling for me to learn that most of the things she loves are the ones I love, too. She could have become pain-in-the neck picky like my brother, but luckily she’s a lot more adventurous, always trying new things like tacos, chilli con carne and guacamole, sushi and sashimi. I can see, sometimes, a bit of me in her, and that makes me really happy. <3

Something we both love and eat together every now and then are churros, so when she came over for another Super Mario Bros. session I told her I would make waffles that tasted just like churros – she was thrilled with the idea (and so was I). :)


These waffles are the perfect way to quench the desire for churros without the frying (and also a great way of winning brownie points with sisters). :D


Churros waffles
slightly adapted from Richie, who got it from Vitor Hugo

For serving the waffles:
unsalted melted butter
½ cup (50g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (or to taste)
dulce de leche

Waffles:
1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
35g corn starch
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ tablespoon baking powder
pinch of salt
200ml whole milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cool
1 large egg, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a shallow plate, mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Set aside.

Make the waffles: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk the egg white until firm peaks form.
Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in the egg white.
Heat a waffle iron until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray. Working in batches, cook waffles until cooked through.
When the waffles are cooked, brush them with the melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Serve at once with the dulce de leche.

Makes 4 waffles

Dark chocolate waffles and Super Mario

It took me a good while, but I finally gave in and bought a waffle maker. :)

For years I avoided buying a waffle iron because I would be the only one eating the waffles, and I really did not need more baked goods going straight to my waistline. :S It also seemed like a waste of money. But then, many months ago, I found out that my partner in crime for all things movie and sweet – my sister – loved waffles, too, and then it hit me: I would have someone to share them with from time to time, someone who appreciates them like I do, and the gadget no longer seemed so unnecessary. :D

So last Saturday we had an afternoon of Super Mario – it’s a modern version of the game, so she kicked my ass big time – followed by freshly made chocolate waffles drizzled with honey. We had loads of fun together – we almost drove my husband nuts with all the laughing – and she loved the waffles (I did, too). :)

Next time I’ll challenge her to play the old Super Mario version (so I can kick her ass) – I’ll just have to choose another waffle recipe to try. :D

Dark chocolate waffles
slightly adapted from Bon Appétit

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup (44g) brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon table salt
3 large eggs, separated
2 cups (480ml) buttermilk*
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
170g (6oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped – I used one with 53% cocoa solids

Preheat oven to 120°C/250°F. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add egg yolks, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Blend with a fork, then gradually incorporate dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites in a small bowl until soft peaks form. Working in 2 batches, fold egg whites into batter just until combined. Fold in chocolate.
Heat a waffle iron until very hot; lightly coat with nonstick spray. Working in batches, cook waffles until cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
Serve waffles with honey.

* homemade buttermilk: to make 1 cup buttermilk place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a 240ml-capacity measuring cup and complete with whole milk (room temperature). Wait 10 minutes for it to thicken slightly, then use the whole mixture in your recipe

Makes 6 – I got 5