Golden Malted Waffles from Scratch

Hubby, Kiddo and I were once globe-trotters – back in a “prior” life. One thing about life on the road, you get to eat lots of different things – especially breakfast.  One of the more popular breakfast selections are those do-it-yourself waffles.

If you have ever made a waffle at Days Inn, Best Western or a number of other such establishments that provide their overnight guests with do-it-yourself waffles, chances are it was a malted waffle batter. When we have stayed at these types of places, I immediately noticed the distinct malty-taste of their golden waffles  – which I love. Since Bisquick has been around since 1933, there was bound to be a mix out there somewhere that you simply add an egg, milk or water to the package and presto – you’ve got these strangely delicious malted waffles. As it turns out, most of these family friendly inns, including Mickey’s Breakfast at Walt Disney World, use Carbon’s Golden Malted Pancake and Waffle Flour, which has been around since 1937. (World Market carries this brand – along all sorts of goodies – truffle oils, avocado oil, special pans and spices from around the world. World Market is one of my favorite “go to” places when I’m looking for something in particular – like Jamaican Blue Coffee.) Having a mix on hand is great when you’re in a hurry or when you’re preparing a large brunch (when shortcuts are precious) or when don’t feel like whipping up Malted Waffles from scratch. But on those less than hectic mornings when cooking from scratch shouts “I Love You” to your family, this Malted Waffle Recipe will certainly do the trick.

In late summer, we like to serve our Golden Malted Waffles with wild blackberries that grow in abundance along the creeks and rivers nearby. It’s a nice family outing to get up early, take a hike and pick berries. We always have to pick more than what we need for breakfast since half of the berries never make it home. I like to mix the wild blackberries with fresh peaches picked from Dad’s orchard – so juicy and flavorful. If you have access to a non-commercial orchard, the fruits are so much better. For the most part, commercial orchards, organic or otherwise, grow fruits designed to be packages and transported. These fruits do not bruise or damage easily – but it’s also a tradeoff in flavor intensity, sweetness and juiciness. Hand-picked from small farms is always better.

Golden Malted Waffles
1 ¾ cups flour (All-Purpose)
¾ Cup Malted Milk Powder
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
1 ¾ cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar

1930s Waffle Iron

Whisk flour, malted-milk powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk egg yolk, buttermilk, oil and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk into dry ingredients until just moistened.

Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until glossy but not dry. Whisk one-quarter of the beaten whites into the batter, then fold in remaining whites. Let batter rest 5-10 minutes while iron heats.

Lightly coat waffle iron with cooking spray. Spoon in batter and cook until waffle is crisp and golden. Repeat with remaining batter, lightly coating iron with cooking spray each time, if necessary. Dust waffles with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Fresh summer fruits are always a nice touch.