LAZY BRUNCH

Serve up a brunch treat for friends with BBC chef Dan Doherty’s easy Belgian waffles

Try Dan Doherty’s Belgian waffles

Belgian waffles with plum compote & amaretto cream

I was head chef at Duck & Waffle for six years, so this sweet brunch classic has been a big part of my life for a long time, but I’m not bored with them yet! There are so many fruit combinations alone; think toffee apples, cinnamon butter roasted pears or fresh strawberries.

It’s worth investing in an electric waffle maker for the best results, but if you don’t have one, try cooking the batter in an oiled griddle pan, flipping when the underside is golden.

SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V

For the waffle mix

180g plain flour

2 tsp golden caster sugar 1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 180ml buttermilk

35g butter, melted

1 egg oil, for the waffle maker For the plum compote 4 plums

2 tbsp golden caster sugar 1 vanilla pod, seeds only 1 star anise

1/2 lemon, juiced

For the amaretto cream 2 tbsp amaretto liqueur 100ml double cream 25g toasted flaked almonds, to serve 1 For the waffle mix, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda in a bowl with a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter and egg, then whisk into the flour mixture until just combined. Cover with cling film and store in the fridge until needed. 2 To make the plum compote, halve and destone the plums. Cut into quarters, and put in a saucepan with the other compote ingredients. On a low heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 mins (depending on their ripeness). Remove the star anise and leave to cool. Whisk the amaretto and cream together until soft peaks form. 3 Lightly oil then heat your waffle maker. Heat the oven to low so you can keep each waffle warm while the next one cooks. Pour enough batter for one waffle (about a quarter of the mixture) into the waffle maker, close the lid and cook until golden brown on both sides and coming away from the maker easily, about 3-4 mins (if you don’t have a waffle maker, see intro). Top each one with a spoonful of plum compote and a dollop of the cream. Finish with a sprinkle of almonds. If you’ve got any leftover compote, use it up in our French toastie on p117.

PER SERVING 483 kcals • fat 23g • saturates 14g • carbs 54g • sugars 19g • fibre 2g • protein 8g • salt 0.9g