Morning Plates · Card MO05
Crisp Malted Waffles
Pale gold squares with deep, crunchy pockets and edges that shatter, thanks to a little cornstarch and whipped egg whites. Malted milk powder gives them the toasty, diner-counter flavor that makes them good even without syrup. Serve them plain and hot, the way they come off the iron.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Cuisine
- American
Method
Step 1: Preheat a square waffle iron on its medium-high setting and set the oven to 200F with a wire rack on a sheet pan inside.
Step 2: Whisk the flour, malted milk powder, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Step 3: In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg yolks, oil, melted butter and vanilla. Stir this into the dry ingredients until just combined; a few lumps are fine.
Step 4: Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until they hold soft, droopy peaks, about 2 minutes with a hand mixer. Fold them into the batter in two additions, keeping as much air as you can.
Step 5: Lightly grease the iron, ladle in enough batter to fill the grid just shy of the edges, and close the lid. Cook until the steam coming from the sides slows to a thin wisp, 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 6: Lift the waffle out with a fork and set it on the rack in the oven in a single layer. Repeat with the remaining batter and serve as soon as the last one is done.
Kitchen note
Steam is the enemy of crispness, so waffles stacked on a plate go soft within minutes; a rack in a low oven lets moisture escape from both sides while they wait.
Easy swap
Replace the malted milk powder with an equal amount of flour and add a pinch of nutmeg if you cannot find it.
Filed nearby
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