PB&J Waffle Sandwiches

Waffles have been my nemesis since I received my Belgian waffle iron for Christmas from a dear friend.  I had been yearning for the appliance, and it was finally mine.  To make a long story short, I went through three waffle irons before I discovered that it was I who was preparing the waffles wrong and not the parade of waffle irons being defective...embarrassing to say the least.  Once I discovered the root of my waffle debacle, I tried yet again to create the tasty waffles of my childhood.  The result was finally cooked properly, but was also dense, oily, and most definitely NOT tasty.  The waffle iron was banished to a cupboard, until now.

The same friend that gave me the waffle iron must have sensed my desperation, and for my birthday she gave me Waffles: Sweet & Savory Recipes for Every Meal by Tara Duggan.   After perusing the basics, I had my "aha!" moment.  For the correct texture for Belgian waffles, you are supposed to whip the egg whites separately and add them to the batter at the end!  Salvation!  Armed with my new found knowledge, I mustered up the courage to open the cupboard and dig out the waffle iron.  What better way to break the cycle of waffle misery than with a classic childhood treat, peanut butter and jelly?  PB&J Waffle Sandwiches, to the rescue!



Fixins:

• 1 cup strawberry jam
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbs sugar
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

I altered the recipe for my Belgian waffle maker, so I beat the egg whites into stiff peaks and set them aside.  I went ahead with the rest of the directions, warming the jam and setting it aside, beating the wet ingredients together, mixing the dry ingredients separately, then adding them gradually to the wet, then folding in the egg whites at the last second.  I ladeled the batter onto the preheated iron, then lowered the lid, set the timer and said a little prayer...

Result:

Success!  The waffles were...light!  Fluffy!  Yet so very yummy and filling because of the pb&j topping.  You might also have noticed a little dusting of powdered sugar, which added a slight sweetness on top of the jam, the salty peanut butter and the pretty neutral waffle.  It is like my childhood PB&J memories, but better, 'cause they're on a waffle!

Repeat:
Yes.  The waffle standoff is over.  I urge you to purchase your maple syrup now, because there's about to be a run on the market!