Waffles make an excellent brunch, but you know what makes them better? Filling them with chunks of gooey, stretchy raclette cheese! This recipe, adapted from the book Fromages: Permis de puer!, makes 16 miniature waffles that are satisfying to pick up and pull apart. The waffles have a fluffy crumb and yeasty flavor that perfectly complements the nutty taste and supreme meltability of Spring Brook Farm's Reading Raclette. Serve them with a tart green salad for a sophisticated brunch, or drizzle with maple syrup and butter for a sweet-meets-savory treat!
Cook time: About 2 1/2 hours, allowing time for dough to rise
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 pack active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper
- 7 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 11 ounces raclette cheese (without the rind), cut into small pieces
Method
Warm the milk slightly, then pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook. Add the yeast, eggs, and honey. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper, and add to the milk and yeast mixture.
Knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes and then add the butter, a couple tablespoons at a time. Continue to knead for 8 minutes. Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour in a warm and cozy place, away from drafts.
Divide the dough into 16 pieces and place on a floured work surface. Flatten each portion of dough with the palm of your hand into a 4-inch circle.
Place 3 small pieces of raclette in the center of each round and fold the dough over the cheese, making sure to seal it well. Arrange the portions of dough on a tray covered with parchment paper and continue this process with the rest of the dough and cheese.
Cover the filled dough pieces with a tea towel and let the dough rise for another 45 minutes.
Heat a waffle iron and place 1 ball in each imprint. Fold the lid without locking it completely (so the dough can expand), and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve hot with a green salad.
