BLUEBERRY SPELT WAFFLES, free from Common Wheat, lower sugar, higher fibre

Blueberries are as lovely in waffles as they are in pancakes... 

Waffles stuffed with blueberries, free from Common Wheat 
(though common wheat is fine)

It's lovely to welcome back the super-food blueberries.  The little berries are full of anti-oxidants and credited with lowering the risk of heart disease, cancer and inflammation.  But the best thing is the wonderful accents they provide to baking: hidden in muffins or cakes or as a juicy compote on the side. 

The sweetness of the blueberries varies depending on their source.  Inexpensive ones are wonderful hidden inside waffles, providing a wonderful pop of sweetness and encouraging the family to raise fruit intake.  

Spelt waffles needed an extra minute or so to reach optimum crispness but were  soft and lovely inside.  The blueberries didn't bleed and the heat of the waffle iron gave them a soft chewiness.  

Replacing spelt flour with common wheat is no problem.

Cost: £2.00

Feeds: 8-10 single waffles  (recipe doubles easily)

Ingreds:

   100gm/3 1/2oz plain spelt flour
     50gm/1.7oz wholemeal flour

OR 150gm/5.2oz plain spelt flour
        2 tsp baking powder
        pinch salt
        1 tbsp sugar (opt)

     1 egg, separated
     300 ml milk
     2 tbsp light veg oil (or melted butter)
     1/2 tsp vanilla extract  

     generous half cup of rinsed blueberries that have been picked over 
       

Method:

1. Separate egg yolk and egg white; set white aside in a clean bowl; place yolk in a jug
2. Sift dry ingred into large bowl - the bran will be left behind but just toss it in on top of the flours; mix; make a depression in the centre
3. Add milk to the yolk, then oil or butter & vanilla; mix well; pour into dry ingred
4. Beat until smooth and thick  
5. Whisk egg white until soft peaks form - 

   

   Soft Peak
   Courtesy of Fine Cooking and licensed for 
   reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
   
   

   
   

     when you lift the beaters the whites form a peak that folds back on itself
6. Fold the egg whites into the batter using a spatula.  Start with a third of the white first, push it down to the bottom of the bowl and back up again, turning the bowl as you go, until the whites are incorporated.  (A few streaks are ok.) Then fold in the rest.
7. Preheat waffle iron until 'ready' light goes on
8. Using a silicone brush dipped in oil or butter, lightly brush the waffle wells 
9. Fill each waffle well 2/3 full, gently pushing the batter into the corners (usually about 1/4-1/3 cup)
10. Scatter a few blueberries over the top
11. Close waffle iron
12. Bake 5-10 mins or until (a) the machine stops steaming or (b) the thermostat turns off (After 6 mins, check the colour of the waffle)
13. Release waffles with tongs or a blunt knife slipped under a corner; the waffles should should come away easily
14. Serve with bacon, more fruit and: single cream OR whipping cream mixed with strained unsweetened 0-fat yoghurt mixed with vanilla or lemon zest (a 'skinnier' treat) OR strained unsweetened 0-fat yoghurt mixed with vanilla or lemon zest ('I just want something sweet & creamy without breaking my diet!')
15. OR if serving for afternoon tea, cook a couple of minutes less and pop in the toaster before serving

Tips:

• 67 hesitated to use spelt, instead of common flour, in the waffles because spelt flour is slightly more dense.  Would the batter become too heavy and dough-y?  Would fresh fruit make the waffle soggy?  The fears were unfounded  
• Common wheat can replace spelt flour
• if you liked this, you will also like Healthier Waffles
• For information on freezing & reheating waffles, plus cleaning the waffle maker,  see How to...Waffles: everything you wanted to know

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.