The best waffles are crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside
We wanted a waffle recipe that produced crisp-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside waffles. We found that a thick batter lets the outside of the waffle become crisp, while the inside remains custardy. Buttermilk made our batter extra thick.
Because crispness is so important in waffles, we tried substituting cornmeal for a bit of the flour in our waffle recipe and found that 1 tablespoon per cup of flour adds extra crackle.
The extra effort of separating the egg and then whipping the white and folding it into the batter proved worth the trouble. The waffles turned out fluffier inside; we could actually see pockets of air trapped inside when we cut into a cooked waffle.
Classic Buttermilk Waffles
Makes 3 to 4 waffles
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, separated
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