Since receiving a waffle maker from Santa-Nate last Christmas, I’ve experimented with a lot of waffle recipes. In particular, I’ve been looking for a really great overnight yeasted waffle recipe, one where you mix up an enriched yeast batter, let it rise and develop flavour overnight, then add eggs and baking soda (for extra leavening power and a light, airy texture) in the morning before cooking the waffles. I made one recipe that came with the waffle maker, which was pretty good, and twice I tried the famous recipe from Marion Cunningham’s Breakfast Book, via Smitten Kitchen, with middling success. The first time I made it I intended to serve waffles to our breakfast guests, but the batter seemed to have given up the ghost and died during its overnight rest*, so I tossed it and had to whip up a quick non-yeasted recipe instead. I tried it again a second time (because the recipe has such great reviews), this time tweaking a few things, for a much better result. But still not quite the overnight yeasted waffles of my dreams (although, thanks to those glowing reviews, I will probably try again to capture the magic).
The Sourdough Surprises project this month gave me an excuse to try a sourdough version, and after some searching, I came across a Nancy Silverton recipe on Breadtopia. This recipe also has a ton of rave reviews, and I’d say they are well deserved. After those delicious sourdough crêpes with lemon and sugar, I decided to add some lemon zest to the batter and was rewarded with a delicious lemony waffle with a complex sourdough undertone. Powdered sugar, maple syrup, and blackberries on top made this one special breakfast and a great reason to keep my sourdough starter well fed for future batches of waffles!
*Turns out it is supposed to look super funky the next morning and this is not an indication that the batter has died. Hindsight is 20/20. 😉
Click the link below to check out the other waffles served up by the Sourdough Surprisers this month! 🙂
Overnight Sourdough Lemon Waffles
Adapted from Nancy Silverton’s Breads from the La Brea Bakery, via Breadtopia. Yield depends on your waffle iron, but this will probably serve 4 people.
In a large bowl, mix together until dissolved:
9 oz (1 cup) mature sourdough starter
8 oz (1 cup) milk, at room temperature
Stir in 4 oz (1/2 cup) melted and cooled butter, then add:
6 oz (1 1/2 cups) all purpose flour
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
the grated zest of 1 lemon
Mix until smooth, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit out on the counter overnight.
In the morning, the batter will be slightly puffy and kind of separated/congealed-looking. In a small bowl, whisk together:
2 eggs
1/4 tsp baking soda
Whisk the egg mixture into the batter.
Pour the appropriate amount into your waffle maker. Cook on high heat until golden brown and risen. You can keep the waffles warm in the oven, stacked on a rack in a baking sheet. Serve with butter, syrup, extra lemon zest, and the fruit of your choice. Powdered sugar makes everything better, too.
The pictures at the top of the post make me want to jump into the computer and eat those waffles! I can almost taste them! 🙂
Ohmygoshhhh, they look incredible! I love lemon zest in waffles and just about any sweet pastry. I will have to jump on the sourdough wagon…I’ve been putting it off for too long!
Your waffles look delicious! Love the lemon, blackberry combo: Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
Yes! Join the sourdough team!
This looks great. I’ve been meaning to try a recipe without buttermilk. Adding this to my list.
Gaaahh! Was totally in the Korena-blog trance and then you lost me at the last line. Powdered sugar makes nothing better, ever! (I always make them leave it off in restaurants, and have been known to send things back.)
LOL! OK, fine, maybe it doesn’t taste the most awesome, but it looks pretty!
I love lemon zest in pancakes, so I bet it’s great in waffles too! My first sourdough attempt this month was waffles too, but they also lost their umph in the overnight rest and were pretty soft and had no rise.
Oh no! This batter was pretty thick when I mixed it up the night before, so I think that helped it stay sturdy for the next morning. The baking soda is an important part of getting them to rise while cooking. I saw one tip on adding a tiny amount of baking soda (dissolved in a tiny amount of water) to each individual portion of batter just before you cook it rather than to the whole batch at once, so that the chemical rising action doesn’t fizzle out before you get to the last bit of batter.
Lemon and berries – a yummy combo! I will be trying these!
Those look perfect. Crispy on the outside, so golden!
These sound divine!
Yum, your lemony waffles are calling my name! Thanks for the hint too in comments about adding the baking soda to individual portions of batter.
Just mouthwatering….looks easy and delicious!
Your Sourdough Lemon Waffles sound divine. Lovely photos!
A waffle iron is on my kitchen gadget list – I haven’t had fresh waffles for years, an dI absolutely love them! Yours look delicious, but I expect nothing less!!
I hope you get an iron soon – homemade waffles are really the best 😀
Wow, those look amazing! But anything covered in berries would. 🙂
Agreed! I’ve been putting blackberries on almost everything while they’re in season…
I wish my Santa would leave me a waffle maker too :'( These look scrumptious! Especially with the blackberries. Nice touch with the lemon zest in the batter.
Perhaps if you promise to make waffles for Santa…? 😉
Okay. I need a waffle maker. It’s the one appliance I’ve been avoiding. My husband will kill me but…. Yours look sooooo gorgeous, I love Nancy Silverton, and I love sourdough. I’m in trouble =)
I avoided it for a long time too because I had a hard time justifying a single-use appliance… but all the waffles have been worth it!
Wow, these waffles look delicious, I love lemon rind I could (and I do) put it in every single dish/recipe I cook 😀
Well done 🙂
Have a lovely day
Lou
I love lemon in just about anything but I am sure it is beyond amazing in waffles
I really wanted to try a recipe with an over night rest period, I think the flavors develop so much more. I will definitely give your recipe a try real soon
I love lemon so much, and your waffles look SO GOOD. Leslie Knope would be all over them. Can I come round for breakfast?
Hehe, you and Leslie are welcome any time 😉
LOVE IT! These waffles would be utterly amazing, with the lemon and blackberries! YUM! Awesome job!!
They look delicious – Nice job!
These look delicious! I can just taste the lemon zest and haven’t made an overnight waffle in quite a while-these are going on the short list! I had a similar experience with the Smitten Kitchen recipe. They were good but not craveable.
I feel better hearing you say that about the Smitten Kitchen recipe – I thought maybe it was just me!