Gingerbread Waffles

nothing beats having waffles in the morning or better yet, gingerbread waffles! i recently bought a waffle maker (brand is waring pro) and have been putting it into really good use. i tried out different recipes as well as some interesting flavors like matcha and chocolate and since i missed out making gingerbread cookies during x'mas, gingerbread waffles it shall be!

spices i used were cinnamon, nutmeg & all-spice, plus a tin of treacle leftover from 2010's x'mas. in case you're wondering, molasses and treacle are interchangeable so if a recipe calls for dark molasses you can use treacle.

tastewise, not your conventional waffles thats crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside but it was good! perhaps the use of pumpkin puree made the waffles denser and more cake-like but it was nice, the aroma is very similar to gingerbread. great simply eaten with salted butter and maple syrup.

i used rachael ray's recipe coz i really like her shows. she's funny and unassuming! i also learned from experience how beating the whites separately will result in pancakes and waffles of a fluffier texture so i did just that.

recipe source : rachael ray for foodnetwork

ingredients (makes 16) :

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsps double-acting baking powder

2 tsps ground cinnamon

2 tsps ground ginger

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

4 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (i used fresh)

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup molasses (i used treacle)

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, plus some to butter the iron

Syrup, whipped cream or fresh fruits for topping, to pass at table

directions :

1. preheat waffle iron.

2. in a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. in a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in pumpkin, milk, molasses and melted butter. stir the wet into dry until just moist. do not overstir the waffle batter. in a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks then fold into the above. brush the iron with a little melted butter and cook 4 waffles, 4 sections each. serve with toppings of choice.