I decided to put the strawberries leftover from last week’s Strawberry Shortcake Cookies to good use by making a Strawberry Grand Marnier Compote to serve over warm Buttermilk Waffles.
Fresh, homemade waffles are so much better than a boxed mix. These Buttermilk Waffles are light and flavorful with the additions of buttermilk, cinnamon and brown sugar but the key to their fluffy melt-in-your-mouth texture is the gentle folding of firmly beaten egg whites into the batter. The egg whites create a light and airy mixture that bakes up golden and slightly crisp on the outside with an airy soft inside.
As with all waffles, the nooks and crannies create the perfect backdrop for many kinds of toppings. I diced up my leftover strawberries and combined them with some sugar and Grand Marnier (orange liqueur) to create a delicious Strawberry Grand Mariner Compote to serve over the waffles, in addition to butter and real maple syrup, of course.
Speaking of maple syrup, please use the real thing. A small bottle of real maple syrup from Trader Joe’s is about the same price as big ol’ bottle of “high fructose corn syrup-cellulose gum-caramel color-natural and artificial flavors”…. if you are going to go to the trouble of making waffles don’t settle for anything less than real maple syrup. You deserve the real thing!
Let’s make waffles:
Start with the Strawberry Grand Marnier Compote Recipe:
2 cups diced fresh strawberries
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier Liqueur
Dice enough fresh strawberries to make approximately two cups. Combine strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier –You can alter the sugar and liqueur to taste. Set bowl aside.
Heat waffle griddle and preheat oven to 200.
You can find the recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes here. Separate the eggs-whites in one bowl, yolks in another bowl. Next whisk together all the dry ingredients in another bowl and set aside. Melt butter in microwave and let cool slightly. When cool, whisk in egg yolks, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour egg mixture into dry mixture and stir ’til just combined. In bowl of electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter.
Butter griddle and pour approximately 1/3 cup batter into each section of the griddle. Spread batter to edges and close lid. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until no steam escapes from the griddle. Waffles should be nice and golden brown on the outside when done. Transfer cooked waffles to baking sheet and place in preheated oven to keep warm.
When all waffles are finished baking, remove from oven, put a few on a plate and spread with a generous amount of butter. Ladle Strawberry Grand Marnier Compote over waffles and top off with maple syrup.
