Email to Cat      

Golden Pecan Waffles with Warm Salted Caramel Sauce and Bananas

Source of Recipe

From "Sunday Brunch" by Betty Rosbottom


Recipe Introduction

"Crispy, golden, and studded with pecans, these waffles, which are lightly sweetened, are a perfect foil for a rich dark caramel sauce with bananas. A touch of fleur de sel intensifies the flavor of the sauce, which can be prepared two days ahead."

List of Ingredients

Warm Salted Caramel Sauce:
1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cup water
â…” cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
½ teaspoon fleur de sel
3 ripe, but not soft, bananas, cut into ½-inch slices

Golden Pecan Waffles:
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped


Recipe

For the Warm Salted Caramel Sauce:
Combine the sugar and water in a heavy, medium saucepan set over low heat, swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat and boil, without stirring, until the mixture is syrupy and turns a rich golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir in the half-and-half. Be very careful because the mixture will bubble vigorously. Whisk in the butter, and then add the fleur de sel. (The caramel sauce can be prepared 2 days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring, over medium heat.) Stir in the bananas. Cover and keep warm.

For the Golden Pecan Waffles:
Preheat a waffle iron (and, if you plan to hold the waffles until serving time, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F).

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture, blending gently only until the ingredients are combined. Add the butter in a slow stream, continuing to blend until the butter is incorporated. Fold in the pecans.

Pour ½ cup of the batter (or more, depending on the size of your waffle iron) onto the waffle iron and, using a metal spatula or table knife, spread the batter to within ½ inch of the edge. Close the cover and cook approximately 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. (If your waffles aren't crisp, even after a 'ready signal' has sounded, continue to cook them, watching carefully, until crisp and golden. If not serving immediately, place the waffles in a single layer on a baking sheet in the preheated oven while you finish with the remaining batter.)

Serve waffles topped with several spoonfuls of the warm caramel sauce and bananas.


Makes about six 6 ½-inch waffles,
Serves 4 to 6



• Cooking Tip:
To toast pecans, spread on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a preheated 350-degree oven until fragrant and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully so the nuts do not burn. Remove and cool.