Lemon-Poppy Seed Waffles

As Mother's Day approached, I decided to put together a charming spring brunch menu.  To me, spring inspires fresh, floral and herbal flavors, so I sought out recipes with those qualities.  I knew I wanted a carb in addition to the berry parfaits and quiche that I was making, and I had barely scratched the surface of what was contained in Waffles: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Every Meal by Tara Duggan, so I cracked it open and began the search.  I finally settled on "Lemon-Poppy Seed Waffles" for the floral poppy seeds and the bright citrus of the lemon, as well as the similarity to the poppy seed muffins, which made the waffle all that much more whimsical.

Keeping in mind the all important lessons I learned about making Belgian waffles while making PB & J Waffle Sandwiches, I dove right in to making these waffles amidst the brunch making madness that was the morning of Mother's Day.



Fixins:

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk (I used vinegar plus milk - 1 Tbs vinegar for a cup of "sour milk")
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbs lemon zest
• 2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs poppy seeds
• Maple syrup
• Confectioner's sugar for serving (I did not use this)

Heat up your waffle iron while you get to working.  Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Remember that if you're making Belgian waffles, to keep your egg whites separate and beat them into stiff white peaks.  Next combine all of your dry ingredients, then make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients all at once.  Stir them up until just combined, then gently fold in your beaten egg whites.  Ladle the batter onto your hot, greased  waffle iron, then cook for about 3.5 to 4 minutes per waffle.  My waffle iron has a built in timer and it seems to work just fine.

Result:

This waffle is perfect for brunch.  It has a strong enough flavor to stand alone and it's not overwhelmingly sweet.  The combination of fresh lemon and poppy seed is bright and floral, just as I had hoped.  I served it with both honey and maple syrup and it went nicely with either. 

Repeat:
I already have!  I will say that the fresh lemon makes or breaks these waffles.  I just had refrigerated lemon juice the second time around and it paled in comparison to the first go around.  The zest is absolutely necessary.  This is definitely a new "go to" recipe when I need something to stand out on the breakfast table.

What kinds of brunch recipes say "spring" to you?