Rachel Khoo’s Roasted Butternut Squash Waffles
Rachel Khoo's Swedish-inspired waffle recipe, packing a serving of veg, is perfect for brunch and can be served as a savoury or sweet. As seen on Food Network.
From the book
The Little Swedish Kitchen
Rachel Khoo's favourite dishes
Mouthwatering seasonal Swedish recipes
Stunning photography
Introduction
I had my first Swedish waffle when I visited Skansen, Stockholm’s answer to a zoo and
amusement park. There’s plenty to see, with native animals such as moose, wild boar and lynx, and also old Swedish farm-houses where the guides (dressed in traditional costumes) demonstrate how to make typical Swedish food, from knäckebröd to homesmoked fish. The sweet smell of freshly made waffles enticed me past the wild-boar burger stand in pursuit of a waffle I had spotted earlier, served with a generous dollop of whipped cream and strawberry jam.
Butternut squash definitely doesn’t feature in a regular Swedish waffle, but it does give it a natural sweetness, which means you can reduce the refined sugar normally added to the batter. It also gives you the option of turning this into a starter (or even a main when served with a crisp green salad) instead of serving it as a sweet.
Ingredients
| For the waffles: | |
| 300g | roasted butternut squash or pumpkin |
| 100g | cooled melted butter, plus extra for greasing the waffle iron |
| 200g | buttermilk |
| 200ml | whole milk |
| 2 | medium eggs |
| ½ tsp | ground cinnamon (optional) |
| 1 tsp | fine sea salt |
| 200g | plain flour |
| 2 tsp | baking powder |
| To serve as a sweet: | |
| strawberry jam | |
| whipped cream | |
| To serve as a savoury option: | |
| 4–6 tbsp | crème fraîche |
| 1 | red onion, peeled and finely chopped |
| 2 tbsp | finely chopped fresh chives |
| 2–4 tbsp | Kalix or other caviar |
Essential kit
You will need: a waffle iron.
Method
Mash the roasted butternut squash or pumpkin and mix with the butter, buttermilk, whole milk
and eggs. Sift together the remaining waffle ingredients into the bowl and fold to incorporate. Don’t overmix or you’ll get a heavy batter. Leave to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Heat up your waffle iron, brushing with melted butter if required (no need with non-stick ones). Pour a ladle of batter into the middle. Gently close the lid and cook for a couple of minutes or until the outside is crisp (this will vary, depending on the heat of your waffle iron).
Leave to cool for a minute before topping with the garnish of your liking.
Top tip: If you don’t have a waffle iron, you could make small drop pancakes instead. Heat up a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat, then pour in a small ladleful of batter. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side until golden.
Get ahead: The batter can be made the day before and chilled. Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before using, so it returns to room temperature. This ensures a lighter, fluffier batter.
