Chocolate and rye pair well in waffles
A tasty riff on a family heirloom
Photo: Daytona Strong
The chocolatey color of these heart-shaped waffles belies the complexity of the rye. Not too sweet, these waffles go perfectly with a wisp of powdered sugar, a dollop of jam, or any of your favorite toppings.
Daytona Strong
Taste of Norway Editor
Family heirlooms come in a variety of forms, and some of my most treasured ones are recipes. The women on my mom’s side of the family have amassed quite the culinary legacy over the years, passing down recipes from one generation to another—sometimes by the hundreds. One of my most cherished recipes is my Great-Grandma Josephine’s Norwegian waffles. I learned to make these from my Grandma Adeline years ago, and they have become a staple in my home.
Creaming together butter and sugar, I know that a special treat is only about a half an hour away (less if I skip the recommended chilling time, which I often do). While I usually stick to a couple simple variations—cardamom sometimes, a mix of cinnamon and vanilla at other times—I love to play around with the base every once in a while, and that’s where this recipe comes in.
I first discovered the wonder of pairing chocolate and rye together some years ago in San Francisco. At Tartine Bakery, I ate the most satisfying little chocolate rye cookie—not too sweet, with an intriguing flavor complexity provided by the rye. The flavor combination is now one of my favorite riffs on my great-grandma’s recipe.
And the nice thing about having recipes as heirlooms? I can alter them as much as I like, and the original will always be there.
Feel free to dust these with powdered sugar or perhaps a dollop of whipped cream or raspberry jam.
Chocolate Rye Heart Waffles
1 stick butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup whipping or heavy cream
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup flour
½ cup dark rye flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Stir in the milk, cream, white vinegar, and vanilla extract. Add flour, rye flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and soda, and mix to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat a heart-shaped waffle maker and cook the batter according to your model’s instructions.
Daytona Strong is The Norwegian American’s Taste of Norway Editor. She writes about her family’s Norwegian heritage through the lens of food at her Scandinavian food blog, www.outside-oslo.com. Find her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/OutsideOslo), Twitter (@daytonastrong), Pinterest (@daytonastrong), and Instagram (@daytonastrong).
This article originally appeared in the October 19, 2018, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
