Cornmeal Waffles with Fresh Currant Syrup Topped with Honeyed Mascarpone and Pistachios
A few days ago I entered an Iron Chef-style contest on an internet forum. The theme was “breakfast,” and considering that is incredibly broad, I initially had absolutely no idea what I would choose to make. I thought about roasted asparagus with a poached egg and truffled breadcrumbs; I considered bacon pancakes or a breakfast pizza, but then I recalled the gorgeous fresh red and white currants that were sitting on my fridge and I knew exactly what I would make.
The cornmeal in these waffles gives them a really nice bite, and the fresh currant syrup is both refreshingly tart and sweet. The creamy honeyed mascarpone is a delicious alternative to whipped cream, and the pistachios add a satisfying crunch and saltiness that pairs with the currants remarkably well.
I have no idea if I placed (I think I’ll know in a few days), but I’m proud of my entry, and I think it was pretty creative!
This post definitely has more pictures that my others simply because for the contest I had to take pictures of the process.
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup coarse-grind cornmeal
- 1/4 cup wheat germ
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- Fresh Currant Syrup (recipe below)
- mascarpone
- honey
- pistachios, toasted and chopped
- Preheat your waffle iron, and also preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, and eggs. Add in the flour mixture all at once and whisk to combine.
- Spray your waffle iron with nonstick spray and ladle the batter in. Cook according to your manufacturer’s instructions.
- Remove the cooked waffles and place on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm until you’re ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, combine a dollop of mascarpone with some honey and whip together with a spoon.
- Serve your waffles drizzled in the currant syrup with a dollop of the honeyed mascarpone and a sprinkled of pistachios.
- 1 cup fresh currants (I used a mixture of red and white)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp red wine (I used a Merlot)
- 1 whole star anise
- Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring fairly regularly, until the mixture has reduced by about half.
- Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve, being sure to press all of the liquid out of the solids. Serve with Cornmeal Waffles!
Good grief, those are good-looking waffles! Oh my gosh, I need to eat those…now…
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