Farmstead Waffles

I make yogurt at home quite often.  When I make it, I strain it through cheesecloth until it's similar in texture to the Greek yogurt you can buy in the grocery store.  The yogurt is wonderful, but the straining process leaves me with quite a bit of whey.

Whey is the liquid that remains after the yogurt is strained.  It's very nutritious and has a tangy flavour that is not unlike buttermilk.   I dislike wasting food of any sort so I'm always looking for ways to incorporate the whey from my yogurt making into different dishes.

I saw a post on Pinterest about using whey in place of buttermilk to make pancakes so yesterday, while cooking ahead for the coming week, I decided to make waffles using whey instead of the buttermilk called for in the recipe.

The recipe I used for my waffles came from the Country Living Country Monrings Cookbook.  It's a simple recipe that has worked very well for me in the past. 

The waffles turned out very well, with a light texture and a pleasant flavour.  I'll definitely be making them with whey from now on.

To make Farmstead Waffles, you'll need:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups all purpose flour (1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour also works well)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whey (or buttermilk)
• 3 large eggs

Put the butter in a medium sized bowl or measuring cup (I used a 4 cup pyrex measure) and melt it in the microwave.  Set it aside to cool a bit.

Preheat your waffle iron.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat the whey and then the eggs into the melted butter.

Stir the wet mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.  The batter should still be lumpy.

You can see how well the leavening worked with the acidity from the whey!

Ladle enough batter over the hot waffle iron to cover 2/3 of the grid.  Close the lid and cook the waffle until it stops steaming and is golden brown.  This takes about 4 minutes in my waffle iron.

When the waffle is done, use a fork to gently remove it from the waffle iron. 

You can either cool the waffles on a rack and use them later, or put them on a baking sheet in a warm oven until you're ready to serve them.

If you're planning to use your waffles later, store them in an airtight container in the freezer.  Reheat them from frozen by placing them directly on the racks in a 350F oven for about 5 minutes.
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Recipe Source:  Country Living Country Mornings Cookbook, Hearst Books, New York, 1989


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This recipe is linked to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop hosted by The 21st Century Housewife, Premeditated Leftovers, Zesty South Indian Kitchen, Savoring Today, Penniless Parenting, and Elsa Cooks, to Gallery of Favorites hosted by Premeditated Leftovers and The 21st Century Housewife, to The Pity Party hosted by Thirty Handmade Days, to Foodie Fridays hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, to Weekend Potluck hosted by Sunflower Supper Club,