Rich Buttermilk Waffles

So often, when you find a recipe, you wonder if the poster has actually made it. I can say that I've been eating these waffles for over 52 years--that's half a century of enjoyment! :) Every Sunday was Waffle Day and we never tired of it; it was a tradition that we loved to honour. First my Grandpa made these, then my Mum, and now I make them for my own family. This is a very, very thick batter. I use a wooden spoon to push it out of the batter bowl onto the hot waffle iron. It makes 4 old-fashioned waffles that are 4 squares; I don't know how many Belgian-style waffles it would make. This does NOT store well because of the rising reaction between the buttermilk and leavening so use up all the batter and freeze any extra waffles to enjoy later in the week. From my Home to Yours: I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have these five decades!

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 4 large waffles

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, melted and cooled (If you use salted butter, do NOT add the salt listed below or it will result in too salty a waffle!)
• 3  eggs, large
• 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon sugar (add more if you enjoy a sweeter waffle, up to 1 tablespoon)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (do NOT add the salt if you are using salted butter! It will make the waffle TOO salty!)

Directions

1. NOTE: The waffles will benefit if you have all the ingredients at room temperature. I take out the eggs, melt the butter and pour the buttermilk out half an hour before making the waffles.
2. When you begin to make the batter, turn on the waffle iron to get it nice and hot.
3. Melt the stick of butter in a heat-proof measuring cup. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large batter bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt, stirring well to combine ingredients. Create a depression in the center of the dry ingredients for the buttermilk mixture.
5. Beat the eggs in a large pourable measuring cup until frothy and well-combined. Add the vanilla extract, buttermilk and cooled butter. Beat until well-combined.
6. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredient's depression and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until well combined. There will be an immediate chemical reaction between the buttermilk and leavening, creating a thick, rich batter honeycombed with air bubbles.
7. Using the wooden spoon, push 1/4 of the batter onto your waffle iron plates and bake until steam stops rising from the waffle iron or your personal degree of doneness is achieved.