Pizza Waffles!

Polenta Pepperoni Waffle with Tomato Dipping Sauce

Having an aversion to yeast doesn't mean I can't have pizza! I've seen other pizza waffle recipes, however they call for pizza dough which has yeast. I decided to adapt Thomas Keller's delicious cornmeal waffles for a fantastic savory breakfast pizza.

Sauce Recipe

1 garlic clove

1 inch onion wedge

3 small tomatoes (the size of ping pong balls)

2 TBSP tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of sugar (you can substitute palm sugar or honey)

dash of white pepper

dash of freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf 

1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

Put all ingredients into a food processor. Transfer to small pot and cook on low for 20 minutes. This can be made ahead. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Waffle Recipe

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
.5 cup water

3/4 cups whole milk
4 TBSP butter

6 slices of pepperoni, chopped

grated cheese of your choice

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar into a mixing bowl.

In a small pot, mix the water and cornmeal on low heat until all the water is absorbed. Turn off the stove and add butter.

While the polenta cools, turn on your waffle iron and oil the plates. Turn on your oven to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the waffles in the oven as they come out of the waffle maker. It keeps them from getting soggy.

Mix milk into the polenta and butter. Make sure there are no lumps. Add to flour mix and stir with a whisk until combined. Stir in pepperoni.

Scoop 1/2 a cup of batter for each waffle. Follow your waffle maker's cooking instructions. When all the waffles are done, sprinkle with cheese and tomato sauce.

Makes 4 medium waffles, enough for two big eaters!

Savory Chive Waffles

I've been putting my new waffle iron to good use. Chinese chive pancakes have been a favorite of mine since childhood and today I turned them into waffles! They don't have the same chewy and crispy texture as the pancakes, however the chive waffles are not as greasy and equally satisfying.

I enjoyed them with mayonnaise and dried pork.

Chinese Chive Pancakes Waffles!

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

dash white pepper

dash freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 cup milk (room temp)

1/2 cup water (room temp)

1 eggs, separated

1 tbsp butter - melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat waffle iron and brush with oil. My iron tends to stick, you can skip the oil if you want.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and peppers into a mixing bowl.
3. Lightly whisk the milk, water, melted butter and egg yolk. Mix into dry ingredients
4. Whisk the eggs whites until you get stiff peaks. Gently fold into batter until must combined.
5. Scoop half a cup at a time into waffle iron. Follow standard cooking times for your waffle iron. I like to keep my waffles in a warm oven until the last one is done.

Makes four small waffles.

Chantilly Lace Cupcakes

Liliha Bakery is an unassuming late night eatery that has been a local favorite for decades. You can stroll in at 3 am and order a loco moco, or at noon and get a plate lunch of your choice, but what you must get is the Chantilly Lace Cake. The thought of it makes me homesick.

The cake is similar to a German chocolate cake, but lighter. The icing taste like custard. It's very rich and creamy. Both cake and icing go well with pecans, coconut, macadamia nuts, or shaved chocolate.

I've been searching for a recipe for years and I think this came pretty close. Certainly, there's nothing like a short flight to the islands and driving to Liliha Bakery after a day in the sun.

It's been a busy several months and I've really been neglecting my recipes. I'll have to upload better photos the next time I make these, but after baking till 1 am, photos were the last thing on my mind.

Chantilly Icing Recipe

1 C Butter (2 sticks)
1 1/4 C sugar
6 Egg Yolks
2 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
12 oz Can Evaporated Milk

Combine all ingredients and cook on low/medium heat until the consistency of apple sauce. Cover with plastic wrap directly on surface of icing. Chill completely.

Tip: Towards the end the icing starts to splatter. Turn the heat to low to avoid being burn. Trust me, I got right in the forehead and it's not pleasant!


Chocolate Chiffon Recipe

3 Eggs, separated
1 1/2 C Sugar
1 2/3 C Cake Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 C of Cocoa Powder
1/3 C Vegetable Oil
1 C Whole Milk

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sift 1 cup sugar, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix oil, milk, egg yolks together and mix into dry ingredients. Beat one minute until smooth.

Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until soft peaks form.
Fold into batter mixture.

Cupcakes: Divide into two pans to make 24 cupcakes. Bake for about 15 minutes or till the toothpick comes out clean. This batter does not hold up well so be sure to bake the cupcakes at once. The egg whites in the batter start to deflate and you could end up with dense cakes. I used a piping bag for the frosting but a spatula works too.

Cake: Pour into greased 9 by 9 inch cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans on racks for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and use a sharp knife to split cake layers through the middle into four rounds. Apply frosting and serve.

You could sprinkle on chopped pecans or coconut flakes.

Enjoy!

Corn Bread with fresh corn

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 TBSP baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ¼ cups milk
fresh corn kernels from one cob

Preheat oven to 350°F Grease 8-inch square baking pan. Combine flour, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Mix sugar, eggs, oil and butter in small bowl. Add milk, then mix in dry ingredients. Stir in corn.

Pour into greased 9 inch cake pan or cast iron skillet. Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

I found this recipe to be sweet, cake-like, and very moist. It was perfect!

Pound Cake

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup grape-seed oil
1/2 bar (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1.5 cups vanilla sugar
3 large eggs (separated)
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray loaf pan with cooking spray.

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks.

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks.

Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. Fold in the egg whites. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean.

Serve with homemade meyer lemon curd.

Oatmeal and Banana Cookies

Almost healthy enough for breakfast!

1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1⁄2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix the sugars, oil, egg, banana and vanilla.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in another bowl. Then stir into wet ingredients.

Spoon onto lined or greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until desired color. I like my cookies golden brown.

Eggless Molten Chocolate Cakes

3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp canola oil
chocolate chips
Water

Grease 5 ramekins and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Add oil and milk. Stir with spoon to combine. Divide among ramekins. Sprinkle with a few chocolate chips.

Top with one tablespoon of water. DO NOT STIR!

Bake for 15 minutes or until water evaporates.

You adjust this recipe to your liking. Just add or substitute instead of the chocolate chips. I have added a spoonful of peanut butter or frozen raspberries, butterscotch chips. I've even used vanilla sugar instead of regular sugar. It's almost a no-fail recipe!

I found the original recipe on another blog, pinchofyum.com. After several tests I have come up with this recipe of my own. I hope you enjoy it!