I'll be honest with you. I think that making waffles for more than four people is a pain.
It takes so long! And no matter how many you make, it's very hard to have leftovers for that chimerical “easy weekday breakfast” you read so much about in cheerful women's magazines —
— you know, where the kids help themselves to tasty healthy foods you have prepared for them in advance.
I'll be even more honest with you. If you have a lot of kids, double the recipe for the Baking Mix (yes, using 20 cups of flour!) and scour the earth for the right size container, which then must be stored in the outside refrigerator because it won't fit inside. My recipe doesn't make enough to make it worthwhile for a really big family.
And even this recipe for waffles isn't going to keep more than six people in waffles with a few left over. So you are forewarned. You might stand a chance if you also serve sausage, bacon, poached eggs, and strawberries.
Have you found a waffle maker that can churn out the batches quickly? Please tell us what it is.
I looked and looked, and finally I found this one on eBay.
Supposedly it's the kind Williams-Sonoma used to have. Note the “used to”.
Perhaps they too got fed up with having to wait for it to beep twice or thrice before the waffles are done? (By the way, its beep sounds like a sparrow on steriods.)
It isn't fast, but I happen to like regular, not Belgian, waffles, and I couldn't find one that made both for less than I paid for this one. I couldn't find anything I liked.
In general I think appliances are not made for large families. Why does my electric range have only one large burner? That stinks.
But waffles are fun, no doubt about it.
And if your gang is clamoring for them, and you are tired of buying humongous boxes of Eggos, because face it, they'd take up all your freezer space, they aren't that nutritious, and they cost a lot, I am giving you a tutorial here using my very own home made baking mix!
All my kids have to do is sort of wistfully mention that they would really love to have something, e. g. waffles, and I am more or less their slave. I have to do it. I scour the internet to find the right waffle iron —
(this is not it, as I say, but it does have a certain fun retro look, doesn't it?) as well as all the tips and hints for just the right crispy on the outside-moist on the inside waffley goodness.
So here you go. The fruits of my efforts, just for you!
Preheat the iron and LIGHTLY grease it. I use coconut oil. Be very sparing. The more grease on the iron, the less crispy your waffles will be, paradoxically. (This is the same reason you cut your baking mix with flour and starch — it's very buttery, otherwise, and will stick and tear.)
Take your handy dandy baking mix, 4 1/2 cups, and add a cup of flour, 1/4 cup of cornstarch, and 1/4 cup of sugar.
Separate two or three eggs and put the whites in a bowl and the yokes in a well in the center of your mix. I use my hand-held blender to beat the whites. It doesn't do the best job, but it works.
Into the well with the yolks, put 3 1/2 cups of buttermilk. Stir them together and begin lightly incorporating the mix.
This is the part that is so hard to describe.
You want to fold in the mix so that at no point are you beating it, which will make your waffles (or pancakes) tough. You want to keep the part that's mixed very wet as you pull in all the mix gradually. Stop before you quite feel that you are done.
Now fold in those whites. Again, stop before you feel you are done.
Your mixture should be lumpy and light and batter-y. Note the wet edges. As you make your waffles (or pancakes) you will be giving it a stir each time you dip in your spoon, so allow for that.
May I point out the virtue of two tools that I find indispensable? One is that two-dimensional whisk, which mixes without getting stuff stuck in the “basket” of a normal whisk, and the other is this serving spoon I got as a wedding gift:
It is a small ladle that is just the right size for scooping out batter for waffles, pancakes, and tomato sauce for pizzas. I use it every day, just about!
Ladle your batter on the iron. Close and wait for EVER.
Transfer the waffles to a rack, briefly, to sort of dry out and crisp up, if you are not putting them right on a hungry baby bird's plate.
I'm not fussy about funky shapes. It's better to have too little batter than too much, which will result in a not crispy waffle, the bane of my existence, pretty much.
{Do you know that Nick started a Facebook group “Just say no to fake maple syrup”?}
We are unabashed real maple syrup aficionados.
We consume no soda, no Eggos, and no Bagel bites. We save all those pennies and buy maple syrup instead.
As the extras cool, stack them up.
If you have any left over, squirrel them away. These are really, really good!
Thanks to Ann Kroeker's Food on Friday for the link!
Thanks to Julia at Hooked on Houses for the link!
Arden says
We use three waffle irons when we have them for dinner. I have found the only way to get thru the big family thing is to have multiples. Two bread machines, three waffle irons, big roaster (works as an extra oven)and a electric few griddles. Of course storing all that is another problem. lolardenmama to 8
Decadent Housewife says
GG is the waffle maker over here. And Real Maple Syrup – just can't be beat. Love the last post too – have been super, super busy and missed it until this a.m. Have a great day, Leila.
Pippajo says
I have never in my life made waffles, I confess. But it just so happens I make darn good pancakes (Redheaded Snippet used to request them for her birthday dinner every year) and I am right there with you on the maple syrup. An uncle of mine worked on a maple sugar farm in NH for several years and used to bring us jugs of maple syrup, jars of maple sugar and boxes of maple sugar candy! He even took us on tours of the farm (with free samples, of course)! So, obviously, we were spoiled and cannot let so much as a dab of the fake stuff pass our lips.I won't buy Bagel Bites, either, much to my children's chagrin.
Freckled Hen says
Your waffles look delicious, I haven't seen a waffle iron like that..it's nice it makes four at a time. We use a Belgian waffle maker (sorry), I freeze the left overs between wax paper sheets and they reheat nicely in the toaster oven. and yes yes yes only real syrup–and real butter all swirled into a magnificent goo…
sue says
I had three waffle irons and then one day I timed them and found that the Vitantonio was faster than the other two combined. And I agree with you about fake syrup but if you can't afford the real stuff go super cheap with 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water and a little Mapliene. We have pear butter and homemade jam that's too syrupy, too.
Barb says
Love the tips on making waffles! I agree with you about the copious amounts of food required to feed large/larger families. Cookies last maybe two days around here.I found a Cuisinart waffle maker at Linens and Things when it was going out of business. I'm still getting the hang of it, but I will definitely try the less oil on the griddle tip. I had a problem with sticking the last time I made waffles.
Deirdre says
Ai yai yai! I would jump willingly through a number of hoops to get at those waffles right now. For real. We're talking Herculean tasks. Simply put, those look amazing and make me hungry. And real maple syrup!! Ah, how I miss thee! how absent thou art from the school cafeteria!
Anonymous says
Great idea to make a triple huge batch so you can have leftovers to freeze. Just a thought, though, have you thought about using a 1-cup measuring cup to pour batter right into the center of the waffle iron? I do that because it's faster than pouring 4 at a time and then I just break the waffles into the four pieces (or not, for my hollow-legged 12-yr-old).Thanks for sharing your experience and ideas with me!Mom in MO
Leila says
Dear Mom in MO — I honestly don't freeze them, just stick them into the fridge and watch them disappear. It's definitely a treat for the "littles" in the family — there was no point before there were only two here!I really like my ladle. It sits up in the batter when I'm between shifts and holds just the right amount. It hasn't worked for me to dip a cup — too messy :)But if it works for you, go for it!I'm all about THINKING about what you are doing and TRYING different things and FINDING what works!
Anonymous says
Thanks for responding. I agree with the trying different things to find what works. I'm also realizing that what USED to work for me doesn't always work anymore because of a variety of reasons…the kids are getting bigger, …I'm not the same person I was when I got married, and I'm enjoying seeing my own growth in so many areas. Thanks again!Mom in MO
Linda says
Those look yummy! And I do wish we could buy real maple syrup here in Holland.. or even the fake kind.. *lol* We don't have it at all.. I wouldn't even know what it tastes like ;)btw – what's the difference between 'real' waffles and belgian ones? Since we're so close to belgium, those are all the 'real waffles' we get around here..Greetings from the netherlands!
Leila says
Now Linda, I said "regular" not "real". I grant that both are "real".Belgian waffles have deep depressions and stand higher. You can pile them with whipped cream and strawberries and everyone thinks that is what they like.But regular ones are thinner and not as depressed. They are happier ;)To me they are more moist and crispy… Waffles are great with jam, which is how I think Europeans would eat them, and lovely with ANY amount of whipped cream (real, of course:).Sugar syrup, blueberry syrup, Nutella — go for it.But the one thing I just do not hold with is FAKE maple syrup!
Ann Kroeker says
We're making do with cheap multiple waffle irons instead of one great big one, but even with two churning them out, they do take a while. Pancakes are a little faster, but not much.Also, the Belgian Wonder and I use real maple syrup, and so do two of the kids, but two still hanker for that corn syrup. Ick.
Renae says
I enjoyed this tutorial. A neighbor girl was astonished that I make homemade waffles. I need to have her over more often. ;)My waffle maker is like yours except mine makes barnyard animal shapes. Fun!It was on clearance at a local store, and I'd been looking for one that made more than one waffle at a time. It was a double blessing, cute and cheap. Now we have waffles at least once a week and it doesn't take *all* morning.
Rosie says
When I was helping my mom look for a "regular" waffle iron online (like she said, they're tricky to track down), we found a barnyard animal one like yours, Renae. I thought it was awesome – my mom said she'll get one when I have kids, and she will make animal waffles for her grandchildren.It's sort of like when I was little, and would see the waffle iron (a wedding gift to my parents, perhaps?) collecting dust on the top shelf of the pantry. I'd always ask my mom why she didn't make us waffles, and she'd always respond that it took too long, and that once we kids were all grown up and moved out, she'd make waffles for herself and my father!It seems like I'm always waiting for the good waffles… :)(ps, Mama – can we have some when I come home at Easter? And bacon?)
Mrs. Petrie says
It amazes me the tiny amount of ingredients that me SO many waffles. I love how frugal and tasty making my own waffles is.
Rue says
I seriously fell for the sadest waffle maker in the world. It has the shape of hearts in it, but it takes even long than yours I'll bet. I need to get a real waffle maker so I can make yours :)rue
newlyweds says
How funny, I don't own a waffle maker and it makes me sad at times, lol! But they look so pretty!
The Tiny Homestead says
ugh Saturday morning and I just saw these delicious looking pics. Now I'm going to have to get up and make me some waffles. 🙂
sewingchick says
Mmmmm… I love waffles 🙂 You mentioned that it's hard to have leftovers…. that is, unless you come from my husband's family! On Christmas morning, I was hungry (and 7 months pregnant), and they asked if I wanted his dad to make pancakes. Yes, pancakes!! He made one pancake for everyone. I couldn't believe it. I could've easily eaten three. And the other day they came back from a vacation with some of their in-laws, and they told me all about the wafflemaker at the hotel's breakfast bar. They couldn't get over how one of the in-laws ate two waffles. Like she was a huge pig or something! Gee, I surely would have had at least two plus several of the other items at the breakfast bar!!
April says
I agree making waffles for a big family takes all day! But, we love them and there are usually never any left over because the kids will snag one to snack on and then we just say it was a "Waffle Day".
Mrs. Pickles says
I have the same waffle iron! It was a wedding gift 8 years ago (I guess they only recently discontinued them). We actually like ours, but I agree, waffles do take forever and a day. Ours doesn't sound like a sparrow on steroids, though. 🙂 It has a more sedate "will you please attend to me I'm done now" beep. My husband is the one with patience enough to make waffles (usually while I'm climbing my way to consciousness Saturday morning) — he uses an ancient Betty Crocker recipe which doesn't call for any separating of eggs. They still come out crispy and light and oh-so-yummy with REAL maple syrup! (Aforementioned husband — who is a gem among husbands — introduced me to it when we were dating… I've never been able to go back to Log Cabin!)
Bobbie says
This is more of a question than a comment. By the way, I love this website because I love to cook and I love the tradition of the family. Question. From the original recipe for the waffles, You still add more flour in addition to the cornstarch and sugar when making one batch??? Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon, Bobbie from NC
Leila says
Bobbi-I'm glad you love to come here! We love having you!I do add more flour. My mix is heavy on the butter, which makes glorious pancakes and biscuits, but somewhat moist (vs. crispy) waffles. Recently I made waffles without adding the flour (I forgot), and they weren't as good.Start with 1/2 a cup, do a cycle of the batter, and then fold in more sifted flour (to avoid lumps and over-beating your batter) if you think they could be drier.Also, it isn't strictly necessary to separate the eggs if you are in a hurry!
Bobbie says
Thank you; I had forgotten to get back to the site for the answer. We leave for the beach (Ocean Isle, NC)on Sat and there will be my two sons, their wives, three grandchildren, my single sister and my in their eighties parents in one house. We will take two waffle irons and have pancakes and waffles for several days. This recipe is perfect for that large a crowd and I will probably double it. Have a great Freedom Holiday. We are all so blessed.