These days, I read mostly cookbooks, specifically baking books and baking science books. I definitely should be able to find more time to read, but somehow making time for reading doesn't come as easy as it used to. I still relish lengthy metro commutes because these long rides are an opportunity for me to read, uninterrupted for a "long" period of time, usually 20 minutes tops. It's not much, but I'll take it because what else could I possibly do on a boring metro ride?

Metro rides are also "unplugged" which means I can really focus on my reading without the temptation of checking my Instagram feed or seeing if anybody's sent me an email. Sadly, I'm having trouble getting back into the habit of reading at night. Instead of flipping open a book before bed, I turn on the television so I can watch a little Netflix to unwind. It's so lazy and so easy. I am tempted to write Netflix an angry letter about it...

It's my own fault for thoughtlessly turning on the tv instead of curling up with a good book. Still, I feel the need to blame somebody other than me. I contemplated cancelling my Netflix subscription and throwing out my tv almost monthly. I could be one of those tv-less people. I am in awe of their ability to live without a television. It must be so liberating! Imagine all the books they must read in a year! Who am I kidding? They probably watch Netflix just as much as I do, except on the smaller laptop screen.

So, I dream of leisurely breakfasts of multigrain waffles with tea-roasted rhubarb while comfortably reading the newspaper or a book at the dining room table like a civilized grownup, but I'll have to settle for reality: eating waffles in the morning in front of the computer, while checking my email and mindlessly scrolling through my Facebook feed, or in the evening, while lazily watching Netflix, all the while feeling incredibly guilty because I really should be reading a good book. At least I have waffles.

If you are a fan of rhubarb, check out my best rhubarb recipes to find more ways of cooking and baking with rhubarb! There are loads of recipes to check out, like this rhubarb cake recipe, a rhubarb jam recipe flavoured with juniper berries, mini rhubarb scones, and many more! Don't forget, roasted rhubarb makes a great filling in this rhubarb chocolate tart.

This roasted rhubarb recipe makes a great waffle and also a fruit pancake topping. You can also serve it on ice cream for dessert.

📖 Recipe

Print

Multigrain Waffles

Combining lots of different flours into a batch of waffles makes really flavourful multigrain waffles that are treat year round. 

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 waffles

Calories 180kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Waffle maker
• OXO balloon whisk

Ingredients

• 125 grams whole wheat pastry flour
• 31 grams whole wheat bread flour
• 31 grams oat flour
• 31 grams whole grain spelt flour
• 16 grams millet flour
• 16 grams rye flour
• 10 mL baking powder
• 3.75 mL baking soda
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 5 mL ground cardamom
• 250 mL sour cream (14% fat)
• 250 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• 3 large egg(s)
• 50 grams muscovado sugar
• 5 mL pure vanilla extract
• 58 grams unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
• Cooking spray or melted butter to grease the waffle iron

Metric - US

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together all the flours with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cardamom. Set aside
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, whole milk, eggs, muscavado sugar, and the vanilla.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, then stir to combine.
• Let the batter sit for 30 minutes, then fold in the melted butter.
• Preheat a waffle iron. Grease the waffle iron then cook waffles according to waffle maker instructions. The amount of batter per waffle varies according to the capacity of the waffle iron.
• Keep the cooked waffles on a cookie sheet in a preheated low temperature oven until you are ready to serve.

Notes

• The number of waffles you make is entirely dependent on the type of waffle maker you use and the amount of batter per waffle.
  These multigrain waffles are hearty and best served the day they are made.
• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• Calories calculated for 1 waffle

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal

📖 Recipe

Print

Roasted Rhubarb

Did you know that you can roast rhubarb? Roasted rhubarb makes a great spring topping for pancakes and waffles (or ice cream). 

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 120kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Ingredients

• 250 mL boiling water
• 5 mL loose leaf Earl Grey tea
• 454 grams fresh rhubarb trimmed, washed, and cut into 3 inch pieces
• 3 fresh strawberries halved
• 100 grams granulated sugar

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
• In a heatproof cup or mug, combine the boiling water with the tea leaves. Let steep for 10 minutes, then strain.
• In an ovenproof dish, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, granulated sugar, and half the steeped tea.
• Bake the fruit for 15 minutes, then stir and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. You want the rhubarb to be firm but cooked through, and to keep it's shape.
• When the fruit is cooked, you can transfer it to a serving dish and pour the fruit-infused syrup into a small saucepan with the leftover tea. Bring it to a boil and simmer to thicken it slightly, then pour back over the cooked rhubarb.

Notes

• Tastes great served with waffles or even over vanilla ice cream!
• If serving for a brunch with the waffle recipe below, double this tea-roasted rhubarb recipe so there's plenty of rhubarb to go around.
• For this recipe, I used Kusmi Earl Grey tea leaves, available on Amazon

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcal

The post Roasted rhubarb with multigrain waffles appeared first on The Bake School.

I put off using discard to make breakfast foods like waffles for years, opting instead to make sourdough discard crackers with fun toppings on repeat (like almost weekly!). Then, one day, I had too much discard in my fridge, so I decided to give it a go. That day, I discovered that the secret ingredient to the best waffles is well-fed mature sourdough starter. These sourdough waffles are probably the best waffles I've ever had, and now I make this recipe quite often. I hope you will love it as much as I do!

Ingredients

Like most waffle recipes, you don't need much to make sourdough waffles. Here's what you need.

• Sourdough starter—use discard or extra starter from a mature, well-established starter that is well fed. Avoid using discard from the first few days of building up a new starter because it may be contaminated with other microorganisms that aren't so healthy (or tasty!)
• Flour—I use bleached all-purpose flour for all my recipes. Unbleached should also work
• Leavening—this recipe relies on a lot of baking powder to create light waffles. Please read about the difference between baking soda and baking powder if you are unsure
• Milk—I usually make this recipe with 3.25 % (whole milk), 2 % or even 1 % cow's milk. I use whatever milk I have in the fridge
• Eggs—I use large eggs for all my cooking and baking. You may experience textural differences if you use smaller or larger eggs
• Butter—this recipe was tested with melted unsalted butter. If using salted butter, you may have to adjust the added salt in the recipe
• Salt—I bake with Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount
• Vanilla—I use pure vanilla extract but it is optional and you don't have to add it! You can use homemade vanilla if you've got it

Please see the recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.

Replacing Sourdough Starter

This recipe calls for leftover sourdough starter (the stuff you discard from feeding, for example). Technically, you could replace it with a 50/50 mix of water and flour.

My starter is actually fed with a 1:1 ratio of all-purpose flour and rye flour, so the starter in the photos is 50/25/25 of water-to-all-purpose-flour-to-rye flour. If you don't have sourdough starter, you can replace it in the recipe with 125 grams of water and 125 grams of flour (either 100 % all-purpose or a mix of all-purpose and rye).

Other Variations

• Dairy-free - you can replace the milk with your favourite non-dairy milk substitute, like almond milk or soy milk, and replace the melted butter with melted coconut oil
• Whole grain—replace a portion of the all-purpose flour with a whole grain flour that you like. I would replace half or less of the flour by weight to ensure the texture of the waffles isn't changed much. Whole-grain flours may absorb more liquid, which may necessitate adjustments to the consistency later.
• Chocolate chips—fold in 175 grams (1 cup) of chocolate chips or chocolate chocolate to the batter to make chocolate chip sourdough waffles. User more or less depending on how much you want to load the waffles.
• Berries—fold 1–2 cups of blueberries into the batter to make blueberry sourdough waffles. I prefer to use fresh for this.

Note that adding chocolate chips and blueberries may gunk up your waffle maker. Something to keep in mind when you make some of these changes because this might impact the time and effort it takes to clean your machine!

If you are looking for waffles without discard, try these cheese waffles or these multigrain waffles.

Instructions

Homemade waffles are so easy to make and relatively quick too! The longest part is cooking the waffles if your machine only makes one at a time. Here's how to make these sourdough waffles.

Step 1—Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl. I like to use a Danish dough whisk to mix them really well (image 1). In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients except the melted butter using a balloon whisk (image 2). I keep the butter aside and add it later because if the milk is too cold, the butter clumps and hardens into lumps that don't incorporate evenly into the waffle batter.

Step 2—Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter (image 3) and whisk them together (image 4). The batter will be fairly thin and bubbly with some lumps (image 5). It will thicken a little as it rests while you preheat the waffle iron.

Step 3—I use a Breville waffle maker that calls for 125 mL (½ cup) of batter per waffle and doesn't need to be greased (image 6). I cook the waffles until they are evenly golden brown (image 7).

Note: For this recipe, I use a Breville waffle maker that requires ½ cup (125 mL) of waffle batter per waffle. My old maker could only handle about 80 mL (⅓ cup) of batter so if you are using a different machine, you might get a different number of waffles.

Tip: Since this recipe makes a lot of waffles and you can only cook one at a time on my machine, I like to keep waffles warm in a low oven. I set them in a single layer on a sheet pan.

Storage

I store leftover waffles stacked on a plate with small pieces of parchment between them to prevent sticking. I cover the stack with foil.

You can also freeze them and defrost them in a warm toaster oven or the oven (not too hot!).

Serving Suggestions

I enjoy serving my waffles with fresh fruit and lots of maple syrup. But you can also make delicious and more elaborate waffle toppings if you have the time. Try these other waffle toppings:

You can also top waffles with scoops of your favourite ice cream. I love to pair these waffles with sliced strawberries and cardamom ice cream!

If you tried this recipe for sourdough waffles (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Print

Sourdough Discard Waffles

Learn how to make the best sourdough discard waffles with this easy recipe. These easy waffles are made with leftover sourdough starter that you end up with after multiple feedings, which creates the most delicious waffles that are lightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 232kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Breville waffle maker

Ingredients

• 500 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• 250 grams sourdough starter ripe/fed
• 10 mL pure vanilla extract
• 2 large egg(s)
• 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 25 grams granulated sugar
• 20 mL baking powder
• 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 85 grams unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly

Metric - US

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, starter, vanilla, and eggs.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture, add the melted butter, and stir to combine them. Let the batter rest uncovered.
• Preheat the waffle maker and cook the waffles according to the instructions.

Notes

• This recipe calls for leftover sourdough starter (the discard when feeding your starter, for example). Technically, you could replace it with a 50/50 mix of water and flour.
• My starter is actually fed with a 1:1 ratio of all-purpose flour and rye flour, so the starter in the photos is 50/25/25 of water/all-purpose flour/rye flour. If you don't have sourdough starter, you can replace it in the recipe with 125 grams of water and 125 grams of flour (either 100 % all-purpose or a mix of all-purpose and rye).
• I bake with Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt. If using table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty. 
• Dairy-free—you can replace the milk with your favourite non-dairy milk substitute, like almond milk or soy milk, and replace the melted butter with melted coconut oil
• Whole grain—replace a portion of the all-purpose flour with a whole grain flour that you like. I would replace half or less of the flour by weight to ensure the texture of the waffles isn't changed much. Whole-grain flours may absorb more liquid, which may require you to adjust the consistency later.
• Chocolate chips—fold in 175 grams (1 cup) of chocolate chips or chocolate chocolate to the batter to make chocolate chip sourdough waffles. User more or less depending on how much you want to load the waffles.
• Berries—fold 1–2 cups of blueberries into the batter to make blueberry sourdough waffles. I prefer to use fresh for this.
• Note that adding chocolate chips and blueberries may gunk up your waffle maker. Something to keep in mind when you make some of these changes because this might impact the time and effort it takes to clean your machine!

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 275mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 343IU | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Sourdough Discard Waffles appeared first on The Bake School.

I love raisin bread and these cinnamon rolls with raisins are my ode to that bread. You will start with an enriched dough to make these, just like the fruit bread and stollen.

Ingredients

If you have a well-stocked pantry (use the pantry checklist as your guide), you likely have all ingredients to make these cinnamon raisin buns! Here's what you need:

• butter, preferably unsalted butter because you will add salt to the dough, but if you have salted, it will work. Just adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly, otherwise your bread may be too salty
• milk, either 2 % or whole milk works fine in this recipe. I've even tested skim milk! Combined with the butter, sugar, milk, and eggs, these ingredients contribute to a softer crust and crumb
• large eggs, don't use smaller eggs because your bread dough may be too dry and will require more liquid. Don't use extra large eggs either because you may need to add more flour to compensate
• all-purpose flour is needed to bind all the ingredients together and give the dough structure through gluten. Don't use cake flour here, which has more starch and less protein
• granulated sugar sweetens the dough just slightly, but also helps tenderize it along with the fat in the recipe, leading to a softer texture
• brown sugar is used in the filling for cinnamon rolls, and light or dark brown sugar will work fine
• yeast is a leavening agent that helps your bread rise so that the crumb is open and light. I've tested this recipe with instant yeast (also called rapid rise) and with active dry yeast (which is slower to act), and it works well with both
• ground cinnamon is added to the sweet butter filling
• salt is really important to balance and bring out the flavour. Don't skip it. I like to use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt, but table salt will work, though the bread will be a little saltier and you may want to halve the salt in that case
• raisins are kneaded into the dough, but you could also hold them back and instead add them to the filling in these buns

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

There are four major steps to making cinnamon rolls:

1. Make the enriched dough and let it rise
2. Make the filling to then form the buns
3. Bake them
4. Frost them (optional but highly recommended!)

To make the enriched dough

All the dry ingredients are combined in the stand mixer, using the paddle attachment. I like to use the paddle first before kneading with the dough hook because I find the paddle does a better job of evenly mixing the ingredients, which is important before proceeding with developing the gluten. Even though I use a stand mixer to knead the dough, I always give the dough a quick knead by hand on a clean surface, in this case, to make sure that the raisins are evenly dispersed in the dough.

Remember that yeast (whether instant, active dry, or fresh) is a living organism. When you buy a packet of yeast at the grocery store, it is dormant. Dissolving it and combining it with sugar and flour (feeding it) brings it back to life.

You need to monitor temperatures, especially if you add warm milk and melted butter. You don't want these ingredients to be too hot because they will kill the yeast. Conversely, if the temperatures of your ingredients are too cold, the yeast will not die, but they will take longer to thrive and to do their job as a leavening agent.

Hint: use a digital thermometer like a Thermapen One to verify the temperature of all your ingredients before combining them with the yeast!

Shaping cinnamon rolls

The beauty of working with enriched doughs is that they are easy to roll out without too much struggle. The dough is smooth and a little elastic, but not so much that it bounces back when you try to roll it out.

Once you've rolled out the dough into a large rectangle, you smear the cinnamon sugar filling from edge to edge. If you can't be bothered to cream together the filling ingredients, here's another option: melt the butter and brush it onto the rolled dough, then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. All roads lead to cinnamon buns!

Like all cinnamon rolls and rolled doughs (including dark chocolate babka), you roll the rectangle of dough plus filling into a fairly tight, even log. You can cut the log and shape it any way you like, but for this recipe, we divide it into 12 equal-sized buns.

Baking the buns

Although with some types of dry yeast, you don't have to proof the dough before baking, I still tend to do it, especially if the kitchen is on the cooler side. The yeast will continue to grow and the dough will aerate and grow even more, leading to fluffy buns in the end.

Bake the buns until golden brown. You can use an instant read, digital thermometer to check the internal temperature of the middle buns to make sure they are baked. It should be at least 88 °C or 190 °F.

Frosting the buns is optional, but what's a cinnamon roll without icing? If you want to skip the icing, may I suggest generously brushing the hot, freshly baked buns with real maple syrup. This will lead to a shiny, sticky finish that will also soften the edges of the buns. Or if you want, you can brush them with maple syrup AND frost them. That would be even better!

Substitutions

There are a few substitutions you can make fairly safely without too many repercussions:

• Yeast - use dry yeast, either instant or active dry. I've written the recipe in such a way that both will work, but note that active dry yeast is generally slower to grow, so your rise times will be longer, especially if your kitchen is on the cool side
• Milk - use whole milk, low fat, or even fat-free milk. You could also try lactose-free milk or a non-dairy milk substitute. I haven't tried non-dairy options, but I'd imagine these would work just fine.
• Raisins - use any dried fruit you like, like chopped pitted dates, dried figs, dried apricots, or whatever you prefer. Dried currants would also work well. You could also try chocolate chips. I bet that would be amazing!

Remember that making baking substitutions is a combination of science and baker's intuition. Any changes may require some additional recipe testing and tweaking.

Variations

I usually bake cinnamon rolls in the oven, but I have developed a slow cooker version of cinnamon rolls baked in a Crock-Pot! It works great and for that recipe, you will notice that the rising times are skipped almost entirely and you still get big, fluffy buns!

Equipment

Bread baking can seem a little daunting at first. Here are the tools I use to make the task a lot easier:

• stand mixer: either a 5 quart Artisan or a bigger 6 quart Pro mixer can accommodate this recipe
• bowl scraper
• a 2 L Cambro is the perfect vessel for rising doughs because it's made of a clear plastic. You can monitor what is happening as the dough rests and grows
• bench scraper (also called a pastry cutter) to cut out the buns
• measuring tape: yes, the kind from the hardware store is what I use—I keep one in the kitchen to be used exclusively for food and nothing else
• 9x13 metal baking pan, though a glass pan will also work
• Thermapen to check the temperature of the ingredients and also to check if the buns are baked through in the centre
• mini offset spatula for smearing cream cheese icing

Tip: I highly recommend investing in a clear Cambro container with graduated markings on the side so that you can follow the dough as it rises and see the progress!

Storage

Store the cooled cinnamon buns in the pan, wrapped tightly. They last up to 4 days. The edges may dry out a little but the middles will still be soft.

You could also make and shape the rolls and refrigerate overnight before baking them. In that case, I would bring the buns back up to room temperature to proof before baking.

📖 Recipe

Print

Cinnamon Rolls With Raisins

Learn how to make cinnamon rolls with raisins with this easy recipe. The dough is kneaded in the stand mixer, simplifying the whole process!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Rise time 2 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 446kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• 6-quart KitchenAid Pro mixer
• Mini offset
• Thermapen
• 9x13 baking pan

Ingredients

Cinnamon bun dough

• 500 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 70 grams granulated sugar
• 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 30 mL warm water make sure the temperature is around 38–40 ºC (100 ºF)
• 0.625 mL granulated sugar
• 8 grams instant dry yeast 1 packet
• 170 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat) warmed to 38 °C
• 80 grams unsalted butter melted and cooled so it's not too hot
• 2 large egg(s)
• 160 grams sultana raisins

Filling for cinnamon rolls

• 80 grams unsalted butter softened
• 200 grams light brown sugar
• 15 mL ground cinnamon

Cream cheese frosting

• 125 grams Philadelphia cream cheese (full fat, regular)
• 35 grams icing sugar more or less to achieve the desired taste and texture
• 15 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat) more or less to thin out the frosting

Metric - US

Instructions

• Prepare a 9x13-inch (23x33-cm) baking pan by lining the inside with a large sheet of parchment paper. Set aside.
• Prepare a large bowl or a Cambro, spraying it lightly with cooking spray or brushing a thin layer of oil. Set aside.

To make the dough

• Place the flour, 70 grams (⅓ cup) sugar, and fine kosher salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Stir them together for a few seconds on low just to get everything evenly mixed.
• In a small bowl, place the warm water (the temperature of the water should be around 38–40 ºC or 100 ºF). Stir in the ⅛ teaspoon of sugar and sprinkle the yeast over top. Stir everything together and let rest for 10 minutes. The mixture should develop a thick foam on top.
• When all the components are ready, add the milk and butter mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the foamy yeast mixture and the two eggs. Stir them together on low speed to form a shaggy, evenly mixed dough.
• Add the raisins and mix them in, then turn off the mixer, cover the bowl with the towel and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Switch to the hook attachment to begin kneading on low speed. If the dough seems too wet, add up to 30 grams (¼ cup) of all purpose flour. The dough should not be so sticky and it shouldn't stick to the bowl. It should feel tacky.
• Knead the dough for 10 minutes in the mixer, then dump it out on the counter and knead it by hand for a minute or so to form a smooth round ball of dough.
• Transfer the dough to the greased bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size (for about 45 minutes to an hour).

To make the filling

• In a bowl, cream together the softened butter, the sugars, and the cinnamon until you have a thick brown paste. Set aside.

Assemble the rolls

• When the dough has risen, remove the towel. Lightly flour your counter and transfer the dough to roll it out into a big rectangle of at least 12x16 inches (don't worry too much if it's bigger or smaller).
• Spread the filling over the entire surface of the dough, then roll tightly into a long 12 inch log.
• Cut the dough into 12 equal buns (you don't have to trim the ends) and place them in the prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel.

Let the rolls rise

• Let the rolls rise until they have puffed and until proofed (if you lightly press your finger into the side of a roll, the indent should very slowly fill out and disappear).
• Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
• Bake the buns until golden brown and internal temperature is at least 190 °F (88 °C) measured with an instant-read thermometer. This takes about 25 to 30 minutes.

Make the frosting

• Cream together the cream cheese, icing sugar, and milk. Use a spatula to make sure to mash any lumps of cream cheese.
• Dollop a little spoonful of icing on each bun and use an offset spatula (or the back of a spoon), spread the frosting on the top. Serve warm.

Notes

• Feel free to double the cream cheese icing if you want more frosting! 
• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 541IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Cinnamon rolls with raisins appeared first on The Bake School.

Just like you can make pancakes with buttermilk for breakfast, you can also make pancakes with Greek yogurt and eggs, making them higher in protein than regular pancakes, without having to use protein powders!

What You Need to Make High-Protein Pancakes

Here's what you need to make pancakes with Greek yogurt:

• flour—I used a combination of buckwheat flour and regular bleached all-purpose flour, but you could also use unbleached or even whole wheat flour
• leavening—I used a combination of baking soda and baking powder. Read about baking soda versus baking powder if you are not sure what the difference is
• salt—I always use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt. If using regular table salt, you may want to add half the amount
• eggs—I tested this recipe with large eggs
• Greek Yogurt—I prefer to cook and bake with "regular" yogurt and Greek yogurt that has some fat, usually 2–4.5 % fat. This recipe would work with fat-free Greek yogurt too
• butter—either unsalted or salted butter to cook the pancakes.

Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Pancakes With Greek Yogurt

Just like regular pancakes, you will use the two-bowl method for mixing the ingredients to make them with Greek yogurt. Here's what you have to do:

Step 1—Combine the eggs, Greek yogurt, and water in a small bowl (image 1). Whisk them until smooth (image 2)

Step 2—In a separate bowl, combine the flour, leavening agents, and salt (image 3). Whisk them until completely mixed (image 4).

Step 3—Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients (image 5) and whisk them until combined (image 6). The pancake batter will be quite thick.

Step 4—Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium–low heat. Melt a little teaspoon of butter (image 7) then scoop the pancake batter and drop it in the pan (image 8). You can use the back of the spoon to spread out the pancake batter slightly to make 4-inch pancakes (image 9). Cook until the underside is golden brown before flipping (image 10).

Serving Suggestions

Maple syrup is a must whenever I have pancakes. Opt for the real stuff, not pancake syrup. Trust me! I also like to serve pancakes with more Greek yogurt, and some fresh berries or sliced banana. Hemp hearts are also nice as a garnish.

Other Breakfast Recipes

For more pancake inspiration, check out my other recipes for pancakes and crêpes, like these multigrain waffles topped with roasted rhubarb and these spiced buttermilk pancakes topped with apple maple syrup.

If you tried this recipe for the best Greek yogurt pancakes (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Print

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

An easy recipe for Greek yogurt pancakes. These pancakes are higher in protein that normal pancakes. Serve with berries and maple syrup!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 pancakes

Calories 87kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• OXO balloon whisk

Ingredients

• 31 grams buckwheat flour
• 94 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 3.75 mL baking powder
• 1.25 mL baking soda
• 0.625 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 2 large egg(s)
• 63 mL water
• 200 grams Greek yogurt
• unsalted butter to cook pancakes

To serve

• pure maple syrup
• Greek yogurt
• Fresh berries
• Manitoba Harvest hemp hearts

Metric - US

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and the greek yogurt.
• Pour the whisked wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk to form a smooth, fairly thick batter.
• Preheat a large non-stick stillet over medium–low heat (I set my stove to heat at level 2, which is quite low). Let the pan heat up for several minutes.
• When the skillet is preheated, drop in a little knob of butter and swirl it around to melt over the entire surface of the skillet.
• Drop ¼ cup (60 mL) dollops of batter and smear with a spoon to form 4-inch pancakes. Cook until golden and set on the bottom, then flip and cook the other side until golden.
• Serve pancakes with maple syrup, more yogurt, berries, and hemp hearts.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• This recipe will work with different flour combinations, including with whole wheat flour
• I prefer to use plain Greek yogurt with some fat (usually 2–4.5 % fat). It will work with fat free Greek yogurt as well. You can also use regular plain yogurt for this recipe. Pancakes will be slightly thinner.
• You can check that the pancakes are done by poking the centre with a cake tester. It should come out clean.
• You can also press the top of the pancake when you think the pancake is cooked, it should bounce back and feel soft but spongy.
• If you are looking for Manitoba Hemp Hearts, you can find them on Amazon

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg

The post High Protein Greek Yogurt Pancakes appeared first on The Bake School.

I'm currently dealing with a mountain of frozen bananas. Sure, you could make the best banana bread without baking soda or banana chocolate chip cookies with them, but smoothies will also do the trick when it comes to getting the frozen banana stash under control.

Ingredients

You don't need much to make this easy smoothie recipe!

• milk and yogurt—I use a combination of 2 % milk and 2 % plain yogurt
• ice to give the smoothie some body and thickness
• frozen banana—I like to keep sliced ripe banana in the freezer for things like this, but if your banana is frozen whole, that will absolutely work too!
• coffee—I use instant coffee granules (the kind you add boiling water to when making a quick cup of coffee) but espresso powder will work too
• ground green cardamom

Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

I love the frothy layer that forms when you blend smoothies, like the milky foam of a cappuccino. This banana smoothie is so versatile and there are a lot of possible variations.

• Spices: I added cardamom to this banana drink, while thinking of Turkish coffee, which combines coffee and cardamom seeds, but you could try cinnamon, nutmeg, or even allspice for a different, warm flavour profile
• Chocolate: the coffee smoothie is topped with espresso powder, but you could try cocoa powder instead or even a splash of chocolate syrup
• Berries: one surprising flavour pairing is coffee and berries (like in this coffee raspberry bread pudding! Add a few strawberries or raspberries to the blender and see if you like it!
• Oats: to give the smoothie more body and to make it a better meal replacement, you can add large flake oats (also called rolled oats) and blend them in. They won't add much taste but will thicken up this smoothie and make it more substantial.
• More protein: if you want more protein in this recipe, add a spoonful of almond butter or peanut butter.
• Sweetness: For a sweeter smoothie, add a splash of maple syrup or honey to the blender before mixing.
• Yogurt—I use plain unsweetened yogurt, but you can also use vanilla yogurt instead or sweetened plain yogurt.
• Lactose-free options: This smoothie has a lot of dairy with lactose in it, if that's a problem, you can use
  • lactose-free milk or non-dairy milk.
  • lactose-free plain yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
• Vegan options: if you are following a vegan diet try:
  • non-dairy vegan milk beverage to replace the cow's milk, like oat milk, almond milk, or even soy milk or coconut milk. Use the type of milk you like to drink
  • coconut milk yogurt or even oat milk yogurt, which is slowly becoming more common and easier to find.

Fun toppings

While I topped this smoothie with espresso powder and cocoa nibs, you could try cocoa powder, shredded coconut, and so many other ingredients. Get creative!

How it's Made

Smoothies are so easy! You can measure your ingredients directly into the blender jug. Some blender jugs even double as drinking cups!

I always put the liquids in a smoothie into the blender jug first (image 1) before adding the other ingredients. Next, add the bananas (image 2) and the flavour elements, like coffee granules (image 3). Blend on medium–high speed until smooth.

For a thicker smoothie, use less milk or add more ice cubes. For a thinner smoothie, add more milk. Smoothies are very forgiving.

I use a KitchenAid blender to make my smoothies. Another option would be to use a stick blender and blend it directly in a large glass or jug. The KitchenAid stick blender kit has a tall blending cup that can fit these ingredients.

When I have some freshly brewed coffee on hand, I use it instead of the instant coffee, reducing the milk used. If it's summer, I blend in a few ice cubes. Cocoa powder would also taste great in this recipe. The smoothie you create will be a matter of taste, but here's a recipe to get you started. And, by all means, tweak away when you make your version of this smoothie!

Smoothie FAQs

More Banana Recipes

If you love to bake with bananas, here are a few more recipes to try:

If you tried this coffee banana smoothie recipe (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Print

Coffee Banana Smoothie

Learn how to make a coffee banana smoothie with this easy recipe, ready in less than 5 minutes. This banana drink makes a healthy snack!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 large glass

Calories 290kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Ingredients

• 190 mL skim milk (fat free) more or less depending on the desired consistency
• 190 mL yogurt (2 % fat)
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 frozen banana sliced
• 5 mL instant coffee granules
• 1.25 mL ground cardamom

Optional toppings

• cacao nibs
• instant espresso powder

Metric - US

Instructions

• Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and pulse. Continue blending until smooth.
• Pour the smoothie in a tall glass, or several smaller glasses, and top with a sprinkle of espresso powder and a few cocoa nibs. Serve immediately.

Notes

• For added sweetness, blend in a splash of maple syrup or honey, or you can use sweetened plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt.
• To make this banana smoothie more substantial and filling, add 25 grams (½ cup) of rolled oats and blend them in.
• lactose-free options:
  • This smoothie has a lot of dairy with lactose in it, if that's a problem, you can replace the regular milk with lactose-free milk.
  • For the yogurt, there are lactose-free plain yogurt options now in stores
• vegan options:
  • you can try a vegan milk beverage to replace the cow's milk, like oat milk, almond milk, or even soy milk or coconut milk. Use the type of milk you like to drink.
  • you can try coconut milk yogurt or even oat milk yogurt, which is slowly becoming more common and easier to find.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 1218mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 508mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Coffee Banana Smoothie appeared first on The Bake School.

I have been looking for a baking method that yields clusters of granola as opposed to a loose mix. I tried stirring a lot as the granola bakes, and I tried stirring a little, but none of my methods made truly clumped granola. It was always tasty, but never as clustered or clumped as I wanted.

Then, I tried using a smaller rimmed cookie sheet (a quarter sheet pan to be exact), and I patted out and pressed the granola into a thick, dense, even layer from rim to rim. I baked it for 40 minutes straight without stirring. Then I cooled it completely in the pan on a wire rack.

That's it, that's all. Seriously. That's the secret to get clusters of granola. It's THAT simple! I just patted it tight and baked it for a long time without touching it.

Different Methods of Making Clustered Granola

There are actually 4 ways of getting granola to cluster as it bakes:

1. add egg whites to your granola before baking: the egg whites will glue the oats together as the granola bakes, yielding a shiny, crunchy granola that is clustered
2. add flour or starches and water to your granola recipe: this is a trick many use for granola bars, but I wasn't interested in adding more ingredients to my granola recipe
3. stir the granola less and use lots of sugar or syrup: the sugar, maple syrup, or honey that is coating all the oats will act as a glue as it melts and dries up, making crispy granola clusters
4. press the granola in a smaller sheet pan: pretend you are making one giant granola cookie, or like you are making the base to a batch of date squares, so you just spread the granola so that it fills the pan in one even layer from rim to rim, then press it firmly so that there are no holes or gaps, and bake like this, untouched. Let it cool without touching it, and you will have a sheet of granola that you can break up in clusters of the size you want!

Granola Formula for Clusters and Variations

Because I'm a scientist, I like to turn most of my recipes into formulas that are easy to customize, so here is the formula for clustered, clumpy granola that can be customized according to what you've got in your pantry.

1. 4 cups oats: this is your base and it's the constant in the formula. Don't mess with this ingredient, though if you are gluten-free, make sure to buy certified gluten-free oats because regular oats may be contaminated. Use large flake oats, also called rolled oats or old-fashioned oats. 
2. 1 cup nuts & seeds: this can be almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, flaked coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds... it all works, just make sure to use roughly 1 cup. For larger nuts, you can chop them!
3. ½ cup fat: this can be butter, canola oil, coconut oil, or even a flavourful fruity olive oil to make olive oil granola! 
4. ½ cup sugar: The sugar needs to coat the dry ingredients so liquid sugars work better, like maple syrup or honey. You can also use brown sugar (light or dark). I've even used molasses to make gingerbread granola. Coconut sugar is also great here, but maybe combine it with another sugar because coconut sugar is expensive and very flavourful.
5. ½ teaspoon salt: start with this and adjust to your taste. Some people like a "saltier" granola. Salt brings out the other flavours and makes granola taste less bland. Don't skimp on the salt!
6. ¼–1 teaspoon spices: these are optional, unlike the salt. The amount you use will vary according to the spice. Use more ground cinnamon and ground ginger than you would use nutmeg for example. Start with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, but ¼–½ teaspoon nutmeg, for example. You can try cardamom or allspice in this recipe too.
7. ¼–2 teaspoons flavour extracts: you can add extracts, like vanilla extract or almond extract. Use 1–2 teaspoons of vanilla, or ¼ teaspoon of almond extract (it's potent so don't use too much). If you have vanilla paste, you can replace vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste in this recipe, or even artificial vanilla (but use less!).

Now you can finally make perfectly clustered granola just the way you like it. And that is why I had to blog about granola, yet again.

Feel free to use this granola to make an apple pie yogurt parfait or to add to a yogurt bowl.

If you tried this recipe for granola clusters (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Print

Granola Clusters

Learn how to make granola clusters, for real, with this easy recipe and formula so you can customize it to make your version of perfect granola!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 348kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Ingredients

• 325 grams rolled oats (or large flake oats)
• 145 grams nuts I used pistachios and sliced almonds
• 125 mL pure maple syrup
• 115 grams coconut oil or butter, melted, or your favourite oil
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 10 mL pure vanilla extract

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165 °C). Line a rimmed quarter sheet pan with parchment and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the oats and the nuts.
• In a 1 cup measuring cup, combine the coconut oil (melted) with the maple syrup, salt, and vanilla, and then pour it over the oat mixture.
• Stir the oat mixture to evenly coat all the dry ingredients then pour it out into the prepared sheet pan.
• Spread the mixture from rim to rim and compact it/press it flat with a flat-bottomed glass.
• Bake for about 40 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
• Cool the granola completely, then break up the granola slab into clusters and transfer to a large container to store.

Notes

1. 4 cups oats: this is your base and it's the constant in the formula. Use large flake oats, also called rolled oats or old-fashioned oats. If you are gluten-free, make sure to buy certified gluten-free oats because regular oats may be contaminated. 
2. 1 cup nuts & seeds: this can be almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, flaked coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds... it all works, just make sure to use roughly 1 cup. For larger nuts, you can chop them!
3. ½ cup fat: this can be butter, canola oil, coconut oil, or even a flavourful fruity olive oil to make olive oil granola! If using a solid fat like butter or coconut oil, melt it first.
4. ½ cup sugar: The sugar needs to coat the dry ingredients so liquid sugars work better, like maple syrup or honey. You can also use brown sugar (light or dark). I've even used molasses to make gingerbread granola. Coconut sugar is also great here, but maybe combine it with another sugar because coconut sugar is expensive and very flavourful. You can melt the sugar with the butter/coconut oil first to ensure it can coat the other ingredients properly.
5. ½ teaspoon salt: start with this and adjust to your taste. Some people like a "saltier" granola. Salt brings out the other flavours and makes granola taste less bland. Don't skimp on the salt!
6. ¼–1 teaspoon spices: these are optional, unlike the salt. The amount you use will vary according to the spice. Use more ground cinnamon and ground ginger than you would use nutmeg for example. Start with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, but ¼–½ teaspoon nutmeg, for example. You can try cardamom or allspice in this recipe too.
7. ¼–2 teaspoons flavour extracts: you can add extracts, like vanilla extract or almond extract. Use 1–2 teaspoons of vanilla, or ¼ teaspoon of almond extract (it's potent so don't use too much). If you have vanilla paste, you can replace vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste in this recipe, or even artificial vanilla (but use less!).

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Granola Clusters appeared first on The Bake School.

It's important to have a recipe for something that makes an easy, homemade holiday gift. My gingerbread granola recipe is it. I've served it at brunches with friends during the holidays, and I've gifted mason jars of the homemade gingerbread granola to my gym instructors (who spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to help me balance out all that butter and sugar I love so much).

What You'll Need to Make This Christmas Granola Recipe

The key to good granola is finding the right balance of sugar, fat, and spices. For this recipe, I sweetened the mix of oats and nuts with a mixture of fancy molasses and maple syrup, and spiced it with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, which are the spices you'd find in a classic recipe for gingerbread people.

If you want your granola to taste like gingerbread, you need to bake it with all the key ingredients that make gingerbread taste like gingerbread. To make this easy recipe, you will need:

• oats, specifically old-fashioned oats, also called large flake oats or rolled oats. Do not use steel-cut oats (too rough and crunchy) or minute oats (too fine and powdery)
• whole shelled nuts because it's the holidays and if there's one time of the year to splurge on fancy whole nuts, it's Christmas! Make sure to use raw and untoasted nuts because the granola bakes for 40 minutes and if you start with toasted nuts, they may burn.
• maple syrup and fancy molasses (also called baking molasses) to give the granola a rich flavour and a stronger molasses taste. Don't use blackstrap molasses in this recipe!
• gingerbread spices, like ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Feel free to make your own mix or buy a gingerbread spice mix from the grocery store. You can substitute pumpkin spice mix in this recipe!
• fun add-ins, specifically dried cranberries and chopped crystallized ginger make this granola mix extra special.

See recipe card for complete list of ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

This gingerbread granola recipe isn't overly sweet and it has a good level of gingerbread spices. Feel free to tweak it to make it your own:

• Molasses: replace it with the same volume of honey (like in this soft German gingerbread cookie made with honey!)
• Nuts: use any of your favourite nuts. For a nut-free granola, use pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds instead
• Spices: use any warm spices like cinnamon or ginger, or even a pumpkin spice mix or apple pie spice mix
• Dried cranberries and crystallized ginger: replace them with raisins, chopped pitted dates, or even dried blueberries, dried apples, dried pears, or dried cherries
• Chocolate: white chocolate chunks (or chips), chopped milk, or dark chocolate could work nicely here. Add chocolate after the granola has cooled down completely. We love This flavour combination in these white chocolate ginger cookies too!

Get creative and make sure to choose ingredients that you and your family enjoy!

How to Make Gingerbread Granola

Granola is so easy to make; this recipe makes a big batch within an hour! You can give it out during the holidays as a homemade gift.

Step 1: Melt the coconut oil with the molasses and maple syrup in a small saucepan (image 1). The syrup should be smooth, dark, and thin (image 2).

Step 2: Combine all the dry granola ingredients (oats, nuts, spices, and salt) (image 3) and stir them well using a Danish dough whisk (image 4).

Step 3: pour the warm syrup over the dry granola ingredients (image 5) and stir everything well to ensure all the oats and nuts are evenly coated (image 6).

Step 4: Spread the coated granola on parchment-lined sheet pans (image 7). This is a lot of granola, so you will likely need two half-sheet pans for this recipe. Bake the granola until it is golden brown (image 8).

Step 5: While the granola is cooling, chop the crystallized ginger into small pieces (image 9) and add it to the granola along with dried cranberries (image 10).

This gingerbread granola is a festive take on classic breakfast oats. This would make great edible gifts for Christmas, packed in decorative jars with fancy ribbons and a pretty gift label. I like to serve it with yogurt or milk for holiday breakfasts and brunches!

Granola FAQs

More Baking Recipes with Molasses

If you love the unique taste of molasses, here are a few other recipes to try:

• molasses cookies (a thick cookie rolled in sugar that cracks a little as it bakes)
• ginger cookies with crystallized ginger
• ginger cookies with white chocolate
• slice-and-bake easy gingerbread cookies

If you tried this gingerbread granola recipe (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Print

Gingerbread Granola

This gingerbread granola is perfect for Christmas, sweetened with molasses and a mix of gingerbread spices. Chopped crystallized ginger, nuts, and cranberries are mixed in after baking for a festive breakfast treat

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 28

Calories 198kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Sheet pan
• Danish dough whisk

Ingredients

• 460 grams rolled oats (or large flake oats)
• 140 grams almonds
• 120 grams walnuts
• 100 grams pecans
• 7.5 mL ground cinnamon
• 5 mL ground ginger
• 2.5 mL ground cloves
• 2.5 mL ground nutmeg
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 80 mL coconut oil or unsalted butter
• 80 mL pure maple syrup
• 80 mL Fancy molasses
• 60 grams dried cranberries
• 80 grams chopped crystallized ginger

Metric - US

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 °F (165 °C). Line two large baking sheets (18x13 in) with parchment paper. Set aside
• In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, spices and salt. I like to use a Danish dough whisk to mix granola (you can buy it on Amazon). It works well. Set the mixture aside.
• Meanwhile melt the coconut oil with the maple syrup and molasses in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well then pour over the oat mixture. Stir to coat all the ingredients with the syrup.
• Transfer the mixture to prepared pans. Spread into an even layer from edge to edge.
• Bake the mixture for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring it every 10 minutes and moving the pans around in the oven.
• Let cool before adding the dried cranberries and candied ginger. Store in a jar.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• This recipe makes almost 9 cups of granola so you can give it out as gifts and keep a little for yourself too!
• Remember that if you want granola clusters, don't stir it as it bakes. On the other hand, if you like a finer granola, stir it often.
• I sweetened this with a combination of baking molasses (also called Fancy molasses or light molasses) and maple syrup, but you could also incorporate honey, or even try with only molasses, depending on the flavour you want your granola to have. Obviously, more molasses will make the taste quite strong.
• Instead of crystallized ginger and dried cranberries, you can try dried apples, raisins, or chopped pitted dates. 
• For a nut-free granola, replace the nuts with pumpkin seeds and/or sunflower seeds.
• Do not use minute oats (which are too fine) or steel-cut oats (which are too coarse and hard). 

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Gingerbread Granola appeared first on The Bake School.

Waffle recipes are usually sweet (whether plain waffles or multigrain waffles topped with roasted rhubarb), but they can be savoury too! These cheese waffles are made with cheddar cheese, but you can get really creative with the ingredients and the toppings. Here’s how!

Ingredients

Savoury waffles are so versatile and so easy to make! Here's what you need to make this recipe:

• flour—I tested this recipe with bleached all-purpose flour, but it's likely that unbleached flour will also work fine
• salt & pepper—I used Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt to make the batter. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the waffles may be too salty.
• cheese—use a hard cheese that shreds nicely or alternatively, you can incorporate a crumbly cheese like feta (blotted dry to remove the brine) or even crumbled blue or goat's cheese
• milk—use whole milk (3.25 % fat) or partially skim milk
• eggs—this recipe was tested with large eggs
• butter—I used melted unsalted butter, but salted will also work. Adjust the salt added accordingly.

Please see the recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

With a simple recipe like this, there's not much room for variation. Here are a few suggestions:

• eggs: You can make waffles with whole eggs, or lighten up the recipe by making waffle batter with egg whites only. Replace the 2 eggs with 100 grams egg whites (like Burnbrae’s Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, which come in a carton and are real, pasteurized egg whites)
• cheese: use flavourful cheeses, like strong cheddar cheese, aged cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, crumbly cheese like feta (blotted dry to remove the brain) or even crumbled blue or goat's cheese.
• spices: I kept this recipe, flavouring the waffles with salt and pepper, but feel free to incorporate other spices that you think may go with the cheese you've chosen, for example, chilli powder (for a tex-mex vibe) or chilli flakes to add some heat. You could then top them with avocado and a fried egg!

How to Make Cheesy Waffles

Step 1: Whisk the milk with the eggs (image 1). Separately whisk together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl with a Danish dough whisk (image 2).

Step 2: Incorporate the shredded cheese with the dry ingredients so it's all coated and the pieces are all distinct and separated, then add the wet ingredients (image 4).

Step 3: Incorporate the melted butter (image 5). The waffle won't be very thick (image 6), so let it sit for 30 minutes before cooking.

Step 4: Preheat your waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions. I like to lightly brush the hot surface with canola oil (image 7) and use a 3-¼ ounce disher to scoop the waffle batter evenly (image 8).

Step 5: Cook the waffles until golden brown (image 9) and keep them warm in the oven (image 10) while you make the rest.

Tip: if you cook these on a standard waffle iron, you'll get about 8 waffles. If you cook them on a mini waffle iron, you'll probably get 14–16 waffles, and if you opt for a Belgian waffle maker, you may only get 4 of them since these irons require more batter per waffle because they are much thicker.

Savoury Toppings for Waffles

Get creative with your cheesy waffles! Savoury cheese waffles call for savoury toppings but you can also incorporate a little sweet too! Serve them with:

• Bacon and egg with maple syrup
• Fried chicken with maple syrup (for a play on chicken and waffles)
• Smoked salmon (or lox or gravlax), crème fraîche or sour cream, and a little caviar and capers
• Salad and/or fresh herbs like chopped chives, dill or watercress, drizzled with lemon juice and a little olive oil. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Sliced avocado and fried egg with a little chilli crisp

Waffle FAQs

Other Savoury Recipes

If you are looking for more savoury recipes, check out all these savoury baking ideas!

If you tried this recipe for savoury cheese waffles (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Print

Savoury Cheese Waffles

Here's an easy recipe for savoury cheddar cheese waffles made. These savoury waffles make a great lunch or light dinner served with a salad on top, or a salty-sweet breakfast with bacon or fried chicken and maple syrup.

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Rest 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 waffles

Calories 258kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• Box grater
• Danish dough whisk
• Pastry brush
• Waffle maker

Ingredients

• 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• 10 mL baking powder
• 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• 85 grams shredded cheddar cheese
• 2.5 mL freshly ground black pepper
• 375 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• 2 large egg(s)
• 60 grams unsalted butter melted
• canola oil for brushing on the waffle iron

Metric - US

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, and pepper.
• In a separate bowl, combine the milk and eggs. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to combine into a batter. Fold in the melted butter. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Preheat the waffle iron. Brush a little canola oil on both sides of the waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions. Cook the waffles until they are a light golden. Do not let the waffles brown too much as the cheese will burn. 
• Serve the waffles with maple syrup or a light salad of mâche, chili pepper, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.

Notes

• This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
• For lighter waffles, you can replace the two eggs in the batter with 100 grams of egg whites (like Burnbrae Naturegg Simply Egg Whites, found in the dairy fridge case at most grocery stores in Canada, usually on a shelf next to the cartons of eggs).
• You can replace the cheddar cheese with any grated semi-firm or hard cheese that is flavourful (like parmesan), or even a crumbled soft cheese like blue, goat, or feta cheese.
• To make these waffles, I used a very basic waffle iron that makes heart shaped waffles, similar to this one on Amazon.
• Serve these savoury waffles with eggs and bacon and maple syrup (for a salty-sweet breakfast) or even fried chicken (for a play on chicken and waffles). You can also serve them with smoked salmon and sour cream with chopped herbs (chives, dill, etc), or serve them plain with a lightly dressed salad for a light breakfast or lunch.
• Place finished waffles on a cooling rack over a baking sheet, then place in a warm oven, around 200 °F (93 °C). Note that if you pile the waffles on top of each other, they will become soft and may deflate. Keep them warm in a single layer to keep their texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 433IU | Calcium: 203mg | Iron: 2mg

This post was sponsored by Burnbrae Farms. I was compensated monetarily and with product coupons.

The post Savoury Cheese Waffles appeared first on The Bake School.

What it is

The name maple butter, also known as maple cream, is a misleading name: there's no cream or butter in pure maple butter. Maple butter is a spread made from pure maple syrup that has been boiled, cooled, and whipped so that the syrup crystallizes in just the right way to give it this spreadable smooth, creamy texture.

Maple butter is made through the controlled crystallization of sugar. So, while you are trying to prevent sugar crystallization when making caramel sauces, with maple butter, you are aiming to force the sugar to crystallize in just the right way to achieve the correct, soft, smooth, spreadable consistency. It's readily available in the New England area, as well as Quebec and Ontario, where most maple products are made. In Quebec, it may be labelled as "beurre d'érable."

Maple butter versus maple compound butter

Though some will post "easy maple butter" recipes that are made by creaming together softened butter and maple syrup, that's actually not what maple butter is at all! Don't be fooled! Real maple butter is made from pure maple syrup. It's a maple spread that is vegan and dairy-free. If you want to make maple compound butter by mixing butter and maple syrup, that's another option, and you can follow this honey butter recipe.

What's in it

Maple butter is made from pure maple syrup and nothing else. You may also add a tiny amount of vegetable oil (or canola oil) when you make it to prevent the maple syrup from boiling over, but there are no other ingredients in pure maple butter.

How to use it

There are so many recipes you can make with maple syrup. You can use maple syrup to sweeten an apple pie. You can use it in this maple fudge recipe or a maple syrup pie. However, maple syrup is quite fluid and "loose" so it doesn't make the best topping or filling in certain instances. This is why maple butter is more interesting in baking: it has less water!

This delicious, creamy, thick maple spread is a more practical way of baking with maple syrup without the mess of dealing with the extra water in the syrup. In instances where you want a maple-flavoured filling, maple butter is what you should use:

• sandwich it in between two cookies to make maple cream cookies where the maple butter is mixed with butter and maple sugar to make a filling for maple shortbread cookies
• spread it on toast for breakfast, like this no-knead cinnamon raisin bread or this Irish soda bread with raisins
• spread it on homemade brioche bread for the ultimate decadent breakfast!
• eat it straight with a spoon

How to make it

This maple butter recipe is the simplest of the maple syrup recipes and it's made from only 1 ingredient, as a rule: maple syrup. The science behind maple butter is relatively simple but the temperature is key to success!

• Boil maple syrup until it reaches 235°F (that's 112ºC), which is 22–24°F (12ºC) over the boiling point of water. By doing this, you are basically concentrating the sugar, making it easier to crystallize because all the tiny sugar molecules are now really close to each other in the syrup.
• Cooling the concentrated syrup in an ice bath quickly drops its temperature. This is an essential step favouring crystallization (and specifically smaller, finer crystals over bigger, chunky crystals).
• Stirring the cooled mixture for a very long time (crystallization is a process, so patience is key here): eventually, it will turn opaque/creamy-looking and become maple butter.

I encourage you to sample after cooling the syrup both before and after the long stirring process because the mouthfeel is really quite different, and that's how you know it's "done". However, avoid sampling the boiling hot syrup. It may be tempting, but it'll burn you really badly. Hungry for more recipes with maple syrup, I have a whole category of posts dedicated to baking with maple syrup to explore.

Trick to prevent sugar syrups from boiling over

Though maple butter or maple cream is made from pure maple syrup, you might have noticed that this maple butter recipe also calls for ¼ teaspoon of canola oil (you could also add a little butter, if you prefer). There's a reason for that oil. If you've ever boiled a large amount of maple syrup, you will probably have noticed that boiling maple syrup has a tendency to boil over and make a real mess of your stove if you aren't careful.

By adding a tiny amount (¼ tsp) of canola oil to the pot, the chances of maple syrup boiling over are greatly reduced because the oil helps burst the larger bubbles. This trick with oil works with boiling pasta water, though some purists will argue that the little bit of oil may interfere with the sauce sticking to the pasta. I'll leave that discussion for another time.

Top Reader Tip

A reader gave an excellent tip for this recipe that I thought I'd share:

If you have an electric hand mixer, pour the warm syrup into a large mason jar and attach only one beater to the mixer. Then mix the syrup in the jar until it becomes opaque.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Storage and shelf life

Maple butter, also known as maple cream, is a creamy spread made from 100% pure maple syrup. This spread is dairy-free and vegan. Maple butter can be stored at room temperature in a sterilized mason jar for up to a month, but it's best to refrigerate maple butter to help improve shelf life.

The maple cream is more likely to break down and liquefy at room temperature: maple syrup may separate out. At room temperature, mold may also be an issue to watch out for. Maple butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. The same goes for maple syrup: store maple syrup in the fridge too to reduce mold production.

📖 Recipe

Print

Maple Butter

Ever wonder how to make maple butter from pure maple syrup at home. This maple butter recipe will help you make creamy smooth maple butter from pure maple syrup at home.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Calories 56kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• ChefAlarm thermometer
• 5-quart KitchenAid Artisan mixer
• Mason jars

Ingredients

• 500 mL pure maple syrup I used Grade A, amber syrup from Quebec
• 1.25 mL canola oil

Metric - US

Instructions

• In a deep saucepan, boil the maple syrup with the oil, until it reaches about 235°F (112ºC) on medium–high heat. Monitor the temperature using a fast-reading digital probe thermometer (see notes).
• Immediately, transfer the boiled syrup to your stand mixer bowl, and drop the bowl into a big ice bath to cool the syrup down to about 60°F (15–16ºC). Then let the syrup warm back up to room temperature.
• With the paddle attachment, beat the syrup on low for a very, very long time (like 30 minutes even) until it turns opaque and the color of sesame butter (the texture on your tongue when you sample it will go from syrupy at the beginning of the process to very finely powdery).
• Quickly transfer the maple butter to a large jar and store in the fridge.
• If the maple butter separates at any point, just give it a good stir before using.

Notes

Temperature is very important when making maple butter (or maple cream) at home: use a thermometer so that you boil the maple syrup to the correct temperature (235ºF or 112ºC) and then you have to cool it down to the correct temperature (60ºF or 15–16ºC). This digital probe thermometer from Thermoworks is a good option: the ChefAlarm

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 46mg | Sugar: 12g | Calcium: 23mg

Where to buy it (if you have zero desire to make it at home)

Maple butter spread, also called maple cream, is available where other maple products are sold, but as you can see, you can also make it at home. In Canadian grocery stores, it's either in the aisle with the maple syrup or stocked next to the breakfast spreads (jams, jellies, peanut butter, caramel spreads). In Quebec and Ontario, maple producers usually have stores where you can stock up on maple products, including maple syrup, maple butter, maple sugar, and maple flakes. Farmers' markets in Ontario, Quebec, and the New England area usually have maple stands run by local maple producers where you should be able to find maple butter.

The post How to Make Homemade Maple Butter appeared first on The Bake School.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free Crock-Pot brand slow cooker to test out.  All opinions stated within are my own.

The beauty of the Crock-Pot is they are reliable slow-heating machines that allow you to set them and forget them. You put all the ingredients together in the Crock-Pot and start it, then you go about your day, and a few hours later, your meal is ready! 

I used the slow cooker perhaps in a less traditional way to revive and warm dried fruits in a light syrup with a few spices. Of course, you could also do this in a regular pot on the stove. Served warm over some hot oatmeal, it's just perfect for a tummy-warming breakfast on a chilly morning.

Stewed Fruit Ingredients

• water—you need a lot of water to revive dried fruit to plump them up and make them delectable
• sugar—I stick to granulated sugar because I am looking for a clean flavour, without the molasses notes of brown sugar.
• dried fruits—I used apples, pears, cranberries, apricots, and prunes. Just make sure they are unsweetened and plain (not flavoured)
• spices such as cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves
• citrus zest—orange and lemon

Please see the recipe card for exact quantities.

Substitutions and variations

Stewed fruit are so simple to make with few ingredients, yet offer so many opportunities for variations and substitutions:

• Sugar: Granulated sugar is sweet, but flavourless so won't interfere with the spices or the dried fruit. Maple sugar or maple syrup would be an interesting option to replace it because the flavour is subtle and not overwhelming! You could also try light brown sugar but not dark because the flavour of the molasses is too potent.
• Spices: I used warm spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise), but you could also try cardamom and ginger, for example.
• Dried fruit: I love dried pears and apricots in this recipe, but apples, prunes, cranberries, cherries, mango, pineapple and many others will also work. You ca customize this recipe with your favourite fruit!

If you have a slow cooker and want to use it for more than just soups and stews, try this recipe for Crock-Pot cinnamon rolls!

If you tried this stewed fruit recipe (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Print

Stewed Fruit

Learn how to make a winter fruit compote from a variety of dried fruits with this easy slow cooker recipe. Stewed fruit compote makes a great topping for oatmeal in the morning.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine British

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 294kcal

Author Janice Lawandi

Equipment

• 6-quart Crock-Pot

Ingredients

• 750 mL water
• 100 grams granulated sugar ½–1 cup, depending on how sweet you want it
• 500 grams unsweetened/plain dried fruits I used apples, pears, cranberries, apricots, prunes
• 2 cinnamon stick(s)
• 5 star anise
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 navel orange zested
• 1 lemon zested

Metric - US

Instructions

• In the Crock-Pot (I used the old version of this Crock-pot), stir together the water and the sugar with a wooden spoon.
• Drop in all the dried fruit, spices, and zest, and stir to combine.
• Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to high.
• Let the mixture cook for about 4 hours or until you are ready to serve it (my Crock-Pot switches to a “warm” setting when time is up so you could even set it overnight for a warm breakfast).

Serving Suggestion

• Serve the warm stewed fruit on cooked oatmeal for breakfast or with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Notes

• You can use any dried fruit you enjoy in this recipe such as cranberries, pears, apples, peaches, apricots, prunes, raisins, etc. Just try to keep the total weight of the fruit close to the weight listed in the ingredients.
• If you don't have a slow cooker, you can combine the ingredients in a medium–large saucepan, stirring well, and bring the mixture up to a boil and then simmer the dried fruit on medium–low until plump and softened. You may put a lid on the pot or at least partially cover the pot to make sure that the water doesn't evaporate completely.
• I love to serve this winter fruit compote warm over oatmeal for breakfast or over rice pudding or vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 648mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Stewed Fruit (Winter Fruit Compote) appeared first on The Bake School.