Lauren McDuffie's Hummingbird Waffles

Directions

Channeling the beloved Southern cake, a classic waffle recipe gets the royal treatment thanks to the addition of some pecans and sweet cinnamon. Topped with fresh bananas and maple syrup, this is one breakfast that will pull anyone out of bed.

1. To make the waffles, preheat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.


2. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Whisk the yolks with the buttermilk and brown sugar until well combined.


3. Using a hand-held or standing mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed until stiff peaks form; about 4 or 5 minutes.


4. Chop 3/4 cup of the pecans.


5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir in the egg yolk mixture, the chopped pecans, vanilla and melted butter. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter, stopping just when everything is nicely blended.


6. Spray the preheated waffle iron with nonstick spray. Pour 2/3 to 3/4 cup batter into the iron, and cook per manufacturer's instructions until done. Repeat until the batter is gone. Serve the waffles topped with sliced bananas, maple syrup and powdered sugar.

Weekday Quick-Fix Version
We can't all be whipping up fresh waffles on busy weekday mornings -- especially when we're just lucky to get out the door with both socks on. However, this doesn't mean that we can't still enjoy an amazing, Saturday morning-style breakfast. To mimic the flavors in my favorite Hummingbird Waffles (or Hummingbird Pancakes, a recipe in my cookbook), simply heat up your favorite store-bought waffles and top them with toasted pecans, sliced bananas and maple syrup that has been warmed with a little cinnamon.