Belgian Waffles

When done properly Belgian waffles are not merely the tall waffles with bigger holes that populate breakfast menus of American restaurants. In Belgium they are served from small store-front shops and eaten plain -- a role similar to the one played by pretzels in American shopping malls.

If eating a plain waffle while shopping sounds odd to you then you have never had a real Belgian waffle. Time to fix that!

Unfortunately, a gluten-free Belgian waffle cannot truly compare to the real thing. But these are certainly good enough to eat plain, which is better than most waffles on this continent.

In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour mix
• 2 Tbsp sugar
  
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Separate 3 eggs. In a second bowl, beat the egg whites on high until they have peaks. Keep them set aside for now.

Turn on the waffle iron. If desired for keeping waffles warm, preheat oven to 275º and put a baking sheet or cookie rack inside.

Now add the wet ingredients and mix:

• the 3 egg yolks
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
  

With a rubber scraper, gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Do not mix too much. The desired result is white streaks or lumps evenly dispersed through the dough.

Cook waffles for 3-5 minutes each.

Important: ignore the lights on the waffle iron! Find the time that works for your waffle iron and stick with it. When cooked enough, the waffle will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside (because of the egg whites).

Excellent when served with berries.