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Kitchen & Cooking

This waffle recipe is like a warm hug on a chilly morning

Blueberry compote and cardamom brown butter? Yes please!

Two waffles with blueberry compote on top sitting on a white plate on a white surface. Credit: Reviewed / Ned Baldwin / Tara Jacoby

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Ned Baldwin is the chef-owner of Houseman restaurant in New York City, where he lives. Before diving into the restaurant world he studied art and philosophy at Bennington College in Vermont and earned a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from Yale University. He wrote a cookbook called How to Dress an Egg and was previously chef de cuisine of Prune restaurant.


Every Saturday morning there’s a fierce debate in my house about what’s for breakfast. Will it be crêpes? A Dutch baby? Maybe pancakes? Each has their merits, but my daughter prefers a waffle above all else—and a waffle maker is the best tool for the job.

When my daughter was little we stuck closely to Irma Rombauer’s excellent foundational recipe from “The Joy of Cooking.” As the years wore on we’ve made some changes that I’m not hubristic enough to say are improvements, though they certainly keep us entertained. The current iteration pairs brown butter with cardamom, a combo that makes everything from waffles to roasted lamb to cake taste better, topped with homemade blueberry compote.

Cooking this dish? We want to see! Tag @reviewed and @lorenedwardbaldwin on Instagram so we can share your masterpiece.

What You Need

An illustration of a waffle maker.
Credit: Reviewed / Tara Jacoby

Consult your waffle maker's instructions in order to make the best waffles possible.

Ingredients:

For the brown butter ½ cup butter (8 tablespoons) ½ teaspoon cardamom

For the blueberry compote 2 cups blueberries ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla

For the waffles 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 tablespoons sugar ¾ teaspoon salt 3 eggs 1¾ cups milk

Tools:

Waffle maker (our favorite is the Cuisinart Vertical Waffle Maker) Chef’s knife Cutting board Small saucepan Medium saucepan Sieve or other fine mesh strainer Mixing bowl set Whisk

Time Needed

30 minutes

Difficulty

Medium

How to make Cardamom Brown Butter Waffles with Blueberry Compote

A white plate filled with two square waffles, topped with maple syrup.
Credit: Reviewed / Ned Baldwin / Tara Jacoby

For extra decadence, add a drizzle of warm maple syrup before you spoon on some blueberry compote.

Step 1: Turn on the waffle maker

This might seem obvious, but it’s important! Your waffle maker will take a few minutes to heat up and you’ll want it nice and hot when it’s time to add batter.

Step 2: Brown the butter

Cut the butter into 4 or 5 pieces and add it to a small saucepan over medium heat. First the butter will melt, then as it gets hot it will foam. When the foam recedes the butter will begin to brown and produce a nutty, caramel-like smell. Add the cardamom and reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 60 to 90 seconds and then turn off the heat.

Step 3: Make blueberry compote

Combine blueberries, salt, sugar, vanilla, and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan. Cook covered over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the berries have relaxed and have released some liquid. Strain out the berries, return the liquid to the pot, and set berries aside. Cook the liquid over medium-low heat until it’s reduced by about half, then add the cooked berries to the pot. Set aside.

A whisk leans against the side of a bowl filled with waffle batter.
Credit: Reviewed / Ned Baldwin / Tara Jacoby

The key to this batter is not to over-mix.

Step 4: Mix waffle batter

Mix the dry waffle ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another. (Though I’ve been known to do it all in one.) Don’t over-mix, some lumps are OK. Finally, whisk in the cardamom butter.

Step 5: Cook waffles

Waffle makers come in all different sizes and shapes. It’s best to simply follow the instructions for the one you have.

Step 6: Serve and enjoy

Top with blueberry compote, served hot or room temperature, and finish with a drizzle of syrup if you’d like.

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