Sweet Potato Waffles with Praline Butter

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Belgian waffle iron
• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Sheet pan
• •Large mixing bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the sweet potatoes

   Preheat your oven to 400F. Scrub the sweet potatoes clean and prick them all over with a fork. Place them directly on the oven rack with a sheet pan below to catch drips. Roast until completely tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to an hour depending on size. The skin will be wrinkled and starting to caramelize underneath. You'll smell that sweet, roasted aroma filling your kitchen.

   You can roast the sweet potatoes up to three days ahead. Store the flesh in an airtight container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using.
2. 2

   Prepare sweet potato puree

   When cool enough to handle, split the sweet potatoes and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash until smooth with a fork or potato masher. You want about 1 1/2 cups of puree. If it looks a little stringy, that's fine. Press it through a strainer only if you're particular about texture. Let it cool to room temperature before adding to the batter.

3. 3

   Make the praline butter

   Toast the pecan pieces in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 4 minutes. Watch them close. Pecans go from toasted to burned in seconds. Transfer to a cutting board and chop roughly. In a bowl, beat the softened butter with the dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the bourbon, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Beat again. Fold in the toasted pecans. The butter should be creamy with chunks of nut throughout.

   Roll the praline butter in plastic wrap to form a log. Slice cold pats directly onto hot waffles for the prettiest presentation.
4. 4

   Mix dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Make sure the leavening is evenly distributed. Clumps of baking powder mean some bites will taste metallic. That's no way to treat a waffle.

5. 5

   Combine wet ingredients

   In another bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, buttermilk, melted butter, egg yolks, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture will be a beautiful burnt orange color. This is where the magic starts. That roasted sweet potato flavor married with tangy buttermilk is Louisiana breakfast in a bowl.

6. 6

   Whip the egg whites

   In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. They should look glossy and stand up when you lift the whisk. This extra step gives you waffles with crisp exteriors and tender, almost airy interiors. Worth every minute.

   Any trace of fat or yolk in your egg whites will prevent them from whipping properly. Use a clean, dry bowl and make sure no yolk sneaks in when separating.
7. 7

   Fold the batter together

   Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. A few lumps are fine. Now fold in the whipped egg whites in two additions. The first addition loosens the batter. The second keeps things light. Use gentle strokes. You're folding, not stirring. Lift from the bottom, turn over the top. Keep the air you worked so hard to create.

8. 8

   Preheat your waffle iron

   Heat your waffle iron according to manufacturer's instructions. For Belgian-style waffles, you want it good and hot. The first waffle is always a test. If it sticks or comes out pale, increase the heat. If it burns before cooking through, back off. You're looking for deep golden brown with crisp ridges.

9. 9

   Cook the waffles

   Lightly grease the waffle iron if needed. Pour batter into the center (about 3/4 cup for a standard Belgian iron) and spread gently toward the edges. Close the lid and cook until steam stops escaping and the waffle is deeply golden, 4 to 5 minutes depending on your iron. The waffle should release easily. If it sticks, it needs more time. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan in a 200F oven to keep warm while you cook the rest.

   Don't stack waffles on a plate while you finish the batch. They'll steam each other and turn soggy. The wire rack lets air circulate and keeps them crisp.
10. 10

    Serve immediately

    Place warm waffles on plates and top each with a generous pat of praline butter. Watch it soften and pool into the waffle's pockets. Drizzle with maple syrup if you want, though the praline butter brings enough sweetness that some folks skip it. Serve while everything is warm and your family is hungry.

Chef Tips

• •Garnet or Beauregard sweet potatoes have the deepest orange color and sweetest flavor. They roast beautifully and mash smooth. If all you can find is pale sweet potatoes, they'll work, but the flavor won't be as pronounced.
• •At Lagniappe, we make the praline butter in big batches because it keeps for two weeks refrigerated and freezes beautifully. It's also spectacular on biscuits, pancakes, or a warm slice of pound cake.
• •For extra crisp waffles, replace two tablespoons of the flour with cornstarch. It reduces gluten development and gives you shatteringly crisp edges.
• •If you're feeding a crowd, make the batter and praline butter the night before. Keep the batter refrigerated (it'll thicken overnight, so thin with a splash of buttermilk) and the whipped egg whites fresh in the morning.

Advance Preparation

• •Sweet potatoes can be roasted and pureed up to 3 days ahead. Store refrigerated and bring to room temperature before mixing.
• •Praline butter keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for 3 months. Form into a log for easy slicing.
• •Complete batter (without whipped egg whites) can be made the night before. Whip and fold in egg whites just before cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 285g)