The Heart of the Waffle

I’ve been on a pie-baking binge this summer. My favorite?

Peach-and-blackberry.

One day, while preparing one of these labors of love (and I think pies are definitely that), I decided to skip the pie and make a luscious peach-and-blackberry sauce to serve warm over ice cream for dessert or, better yet, at breakfast with waffles.

I used a heart-shaped waffle iron to make my waffles--I like the romantic breakfast-in-bed approach to morning. But whatever the shape, the waffles will taste buttery and rich.

Menu

Pecan Waffles With Blackberry-Peach Compote

Juice

Coffee

INGREDIENTS

SHOPPING LIST

2 (1/2-pint) baskets blackberries

1 lemon

1 large peach

2 (2-ounce) bags pecans

STAPLES

Baking powder

Butter

Cornstarch

Eggs

Flour

Milk

Salt

Sugar

Countdown

30 minutes before: Turn on waffle iron. Make waffle mix.

25 minutes before: Begin cooking waffles.

20 minutes before: Begin cooking blackberries. Continue cooking waffles.

15 minutes before: Put blackberries through sieve. Return juice to stove. Make cornstarch paste, add to juice and cook to thicken. Continue making waffles.

10 minutes before: Prepare peach for the compote. Melt butter to top waffles if desired.

5 minutes before: Remove warm waffles from oven and top with melted butter and fruit compote.

PECAN WAFFLES / 20 minutes or less

BLACKBERRY-PEACH COMPOTE

1 pint blackberries

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

4 to 5 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 large peach, peeled, pitted and cut into small cubes

Simmer 1 1/2 cups blackberries, 1/2 cup water, 4 tablespoons sugar and lemon juice in small pan over low heat 5 to 7 minutes.

Pour blackberry mixture through sieve, pressing blackberries gently with rubber spatula or wooden spoon to extract all juice. Return juice to pan over low heat.

Combine cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water in small bowl and mix well to form paste. Add 3 to 4 teaspoons cornstarch mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time, to blackberry juice, stirring constantly over low heat until juice thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Use more cornstarch mixture if needed to thicken juice.

Remove from heat. Taste for sweetness and add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar if needed. Stir in peach cubes and remaining 1/2 cup blackberries. Serve warm. Makes 2 cups.

*

WAFFLES

2 cups sifted flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups milk

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted, plus extra for topping, optional

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Cooking time for waffles varies according to the type of waffle iron used; it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get the desired doneness. To get the waffles on the table even faster in the morning, make the compote the night before.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Combine egg yolks, milk and melted butter and pour into flour mixture. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans and stir until just combined.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into batter.

Pour batter into hot waffle iron and bake at medium heat until steaming stops and waffle is golden, about 5 minutes for thinner waffles. As waffles are cooked, place on plate in warm oven until all waffles are done.

Top each waffle with small amount melted butter if desired, generous serving of Blackberry-Peach Compote and chopped pecans.

4 (2-waffle) servings. Each serving, without extra butter topping:

764 calories; 1,171 mg sodium; 161 mg cholesterol; 34 grams fat; 86 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 3.56 grams fiber.

FO Pecan Waffles, indeed. This area really Heart-Shaped Blueberry-Peach Upside-Down Pies.