WAFFLES
Waffles are like the cool cousin of pancakes: a bit more
complicated, a bit more interesting, and a bit crustier on
the outside.But deep down, they’re almost identical. When we’re
talking quick American-style waffles (as opposed to, say, a
traditional slow-rising yeasted, chewy Belgian waffle), we’re
talking a chemically leavened batter, just like with pancakes.
But try throwing your pancake batter into a waffle iron, and
you will run into trouble. With pancakes, the steam
evaporating as the pancakes cook has an easy escape route
—you can see it coming out of the top of the pancakes as
bubbles form. With a waffle trapped inside its metal cage,
it’s not so easy. Waffles made from pancake batter come out
gummy, with a distinct lack of crispness.
But I wanted to be able to start my waffles with my basic
pancake mix so that I wouldn’t have to keep two mixes on
hand in my pantry. I realized the solution had to be twofold:
I needed extra leavening power to help the waffles rise in
their constrained environment, and I needed a method to
ensure that they got crisp faster and stayed crisp.
I first tried adding a bit of extra baking powder and
baking soda when I mixed up my batter. It helped with the
texture, but with too much chemical leavening, that soapy,
metallic flavor started creeping in. I’d have to find a
physical means to leaven my batter instead.
I was already adding a good deal of bubbles with my
whipped egg whites—what if I were to add even more in the