Can You Waffle It?: Food Network Kitchen's Waffle Iron Hits and Misses
Recipe developers at Food Network Kitchen waffled foods like pizza and puff pastry to see what waffling's magical crispifying effect improved (and what it didn't).
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What Can You Waffle?
Recipe developers and editors at Food Network Kitchen waffled foods like hot dogs, pizza and doughnuts to see what waffling's magical crispifying effect improved (and what it didn't).
Bread and Pastries: Hit
Bready things work fantastically in the waffle iron; just push down a little to get them extra crispy. Waffle irons add up to three times as much crispy area as a toaster would.
Eggs: Hit
Scrambled eggs came out well. They come off in a single piece, perfect for an egg sandwich.
Cheese: Maybe
Pizza was tricky. Work around the sticky cheese issue by using your waffle iron as an oven to make the crust, then as a broiler to melt the cheese (without closing the lid).
Frozen Pizza: Maybe
Frozen pizza got thawed, folded, then waffled. It was fine, but doesn't stack up to real pizza.
Bacon: Miss
It cooked, but without any extra crispiness. It's easier (and less dangerous) in a pan.
Bagels: Hit
Success! The bagel's new divots hold cream cheese and butter puddles nicely.
Croissants: Hit
Croissants and pain au chocolate were winners. The increased surface area and buttery toastiness becomes them.
Doughnuts: Hit
Win! Waffling yields a hot, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside doughnut with extra-crispy divots.
Tofu: Hit
Marinated tofu didn't get crispy, but it was delicious — warm and juicy — nonetheless.
Fish Sticks and Chicken Nuggets: Miss
Nothing transformative happened here — these childhood favorites tasted like squished fish sticks and chicken nuggets.
French Fries: Miss
These came out dry and pasty. Best not to bother — they're called fries for a reason.
Hot Dogs: Maybe
These got a bit jerky-like and chewy, but they would be good in a sandwich, with spicy mustard and sauerkraut on rye.
Crostini: Miss
These didn't crisp up as much as they do in the oven — you're better off with the traditional method.
Pretzels: Maybe
Almost a win. The softer the pretzel, the better the result. Push down on the waffle maker as you toast it for extra crispness.
Packaged Ravioli: Miss
These dried out and got strangely chewy.
Puff Pastry: Hit
Waffling raw puff pastry dough was the biggest success of all.
Meet the Puffle
After cooking for four to eight minutes in the waffle maker (depending on what kind was used), puff pastry got crispy, buttery and completely delicious.
Waffled Win
We think the Puffle's the next Cronut. Break out your waffle maker and give it a try!
12 Favorite Foods Transformed with a Waffle Iron
Get 12 waffled breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts from Food Network Kitchens. They prove that the humble waffle maker is a lot more versatile than you think. Happy waffling!
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