Ham & Cheese Waffles

I tried the Rachael Ray waffle method of putting brownie batter into my waffle iron - no luck! The entire mess completely stuck to my non-stick waffle iron. Yes, I know, nothing is meant to stick to a non-stick surface, but I guarantee you, I was scraping that muck off my waffle iron for hours. Never again, as delicious as that sounded.

When I came across this recipe from Bon Appetit (in the March 2012 edition), I literally could not wait to to try it. Perfect for brunch, perfect for lunch and even perfect for dinner. Perfect for breakfast too! They are so delicious, they will be making their way onto my plate sometime soon...and yes, I am still using up that leftover ham from my last post.

These waffles are surprisingly light and crisp and the ham and the cheddar is baked right in the batter, so every bite is filled with the sharp and salty flavours of cheddar and ham. Of course, I added more cheese and more ham to mine.

Ham & Cheese Waffles
Makes 6 (their recipe says 12, but I must have a bigger iron)

1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large egg whites
3 large egg yolks
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup soda water
Non-stick vegetable oil spray
1 cup thinly-cut strips of ham
3/4 cup shredded sharp white cheddar
Maple syrup

Preheat oven to 300°. Heat waffle iron until very hot. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until medium-soft peaks form. Whisk egg yolks, melted butter, buttermilk, and soda water in a medium bowl; gradually whisk into dry ingredients. Fold in egg whites.

Coat waffle iron with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Pour batter onto iron, spreading it into corners (amount of batter needed will vary according to machine). Scatter 1 rounded Tbsp. ham and 1 Tbsp. white cheddar over each waffle. Cook until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a baking sheet; keep waffles warm in oven between batches. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.

Enjoy!