Sourdough Waffles with maple Syrup

From: Matthew Swift, Terre Restaurant at l'Alt Hotel St. John's

With everyone locked down, it is inspiring to see so many people take up baking (sourdough in particular). From years of experience, I can say that as a baker you often find yourself with the dilemma of “What do I do with this extra Levain?”. There are a few great things it can be used for, one of my favourites though is waffles. This recipe must be started the night before, but it is worth the wait. I am partial to bacon with waffles, but more importantly butter and lots of Maple Syrup…If you do not have a waffle iron handy, this recipe also makes excellent pancakes.

Ingredients (makes about 6 waffles):

The night before (sponge):

• 120 g Ripe Sourdough Starter
• 15 g Sugar
• 120 g Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 250 ml Buttermilk

In the Morning:

• All of it The Sponge
• 1 pc Large Egg
• 30 g Melted Butter
• ½ teaspoonKosher Salt
• ½ teaspoonBaking Soda

Method:

For the Sponge:

• Whisk together starter and buttermilk, then add sugar and flour.
• Cover, let rest at room temperature (around 20 C) overnight (about 12 hours). Make sure the container is about 4 times the volume of the sponge, to prevent any overflow as it rises.

In the Morning:

• Preheat your waffle iron, make sure to have maple syrup and any other toppings ready.
• Melt the butter, whisk together with the eggs and salt, and add to the sponge.
• Add the baking soda and stir to combine…Things will start bubbling.
• Cook the waffles, and enjoy.