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Easy waffles!
The Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker will look familiar to most people who have stayed at a hotel that offers a complimentary continental breakfast. The waffle maker is usually located next to the toaster, with cups of batter nearby. Those continental breakfasts are a huge reason why I now own this waffle maker: my husband fell in love with the idea of owning one ourselves.
The operation is simple. Plug it in and wait for the iron to preheat. Brush or spray a little oil on the surface (first waffle only.) Pour batter on the nonstick grid, close the top, rotate the handle, and wait for the machine to beep when the waffle is done. Rotate the iron back to the original position, lift the lid, and remove the waffle. The whole cooking process takes about five minutes. The only real trick to operating this waffle maker is finding a good recipe. I didn't bother trying Waring's selections and instead found my favorite recipe online.
If you use a cooking spray instead of brushing on oil, make sure that you use the kind for grilling and high heat cooking. The original Pam leaves a sticky residue since it is not meant for such temperatures. A good, flavorless oil works best.
The whole thing cleans up in minutes, if not seconds. The nonstick grids release the waffles so cleanly that I never have to clean it. Too much batter poured onto the surface might require some exterior clean-up, but the removable metal pan underneath the waffle iron can be easily hand-washed. A temperature control allows you to control the darkness/crispness of your waffles. The manufacturer suggests a setting of 4; I found that I had to set it to 5 before I got an adequately crisp result. (This may have to do with the recipe I use as well as my personal preference for a crisp exterior.)
For recipes, I suggest that cooks use those that require stiff egg white folded into the batter for the classic Belgian waffle. These recipes usually only take ten minutes or so to whip up, and are not as time-consuming as those that require yeast.
All in all, I like this waffle maker. Now, if only my husband would make waffles at home as he does in hotels, instead of waiting for me to do it.
-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann
[Saturday, November 22, 2008]
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