Monday, September 2, 2013

Low and Slow Pear Butter Waffles

Low and Slow Pear Butter Waffles

Last year, the folks who grow the farm share spent a few autumn days gleaning pears off of many unloved and unmanaged pear trees in the city.  They shared the pears with us.  The pears weren't ripe yet, so I set them on the counter and moved on to the more pressing items in the share.  When I noticed that the pears were ripening, I moved them into the crisper and continued to deal with the more perishable foods.  Then I needed to make room for the incoming Fruit Fundraiser influx.
Apparently my son takes after me.  While doing a personality test in Science class he learned he's an Otter--that means he procrastinates.  Hmmm, wonder where he gets that from?
What to do with all those pears?  Farmgirl Fare to the rescue!
I made pear butter in the oven following Susan's recipe.  It's simple as can be.  Pears, an acid (lime juice for me since I was out of lemon) and a sweet (honey for me).  I attempted for a brief and futile moment to smush my pears through a fine mesh strainer (forget that!), then considered hopping in the car to use a coupon at BB&B to get the recommended Foley Food Mill, and ended up just chopping stuff up with my immersion blender.  The result, after a few low and slow hours in the oven, was delicious.
I'd taken unattractive free local produce, procured by my CSA farmers, and turned it into something delicious!
Low and Slow Pear Butter
After 2 1/2 hours in the oven.  BTW, the worm bin in the Otter's closet got the scraps.


Try Susan's recipe.  You can find it here.  Then take a cup of that pear butter and make waffles.  The waffles are pretty straightforward.  The cool thing about them is that these waffles have some of that pear texture.  The waffles come out of the waffle iron soft, but firm up as they cool.  The leftovers reheated well in a toaster for weekday breakfasts.

Pear Butter Waffle Batter
Yes, the overflowing waffle iron strikes again.  I have a video this time.

Pear Butter Waffles

1 cup (240 ml) pear butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup (60 ml) cooking oil
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
1-2 Tablespoons sugar
4 ounces (1 cup) whole wheat flour
4 1/4 ounces (1 cup) unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine pear butter, eggs, oil and buttermilk.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir just until combined (so that no large lumps remain, but the batter isn't silky-smooth).  Then walk away--walk away!  Let the batter rest at least 10 minutes and up to an hour.  When you're ready to bake, preheat your waffle iron and bake according to manufacturer's instructions.
And if you want to see my overflowing waffle iron in action, I put the 12 second music video up on my FB page.

Other fruit or vegetable waffle recipes I've shared on this blog:
Butternut Squash Waffles
Chocolate Zucchini Waffles
Sweet Corn and Blueberry Waffles
Tangerine Waffles

These waffles are shared on the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up, What's Cookin' WednesdayWhat's In The BoxFood on Friday, and the From the Farm Blog Hop.

Low and Slow Pear Butter Waffles

16 comments:

  1. Perfect timing, as the pears from my own trees are starting to drop. They don't ripen on the tree; they are hard as rocks one day, and after a few minutes of perfect ripeness, they move right into the mushy stage. If I can get to them on that one day when they're perfect, they're a real treat. After that, they become pear sauce (like apple sauce).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lydia,
      It really does seem like pear perfection is over in moments, not hours, doesn't it?
      Pear sauce sounds good to me, over vanilla ice cream. I think I need to re-chill the bucket in anticipation.

      Thanks!

      Delete
  2. These sounds amazing! And if I use apple butter instead of pear butter, I already have all the ingredients! (Altough pear butter? Swoon....)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lauren,
      This recipe would be great with apple butter. What a great idea--thanks!

      Delete
  3. Oh boy, those look good. You are tempting me to buy a waffle iron.

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    Replies
    1. Patti,
      We got this a year ago May, and I'm so glad we did. I'd used a George Foreman thing with the interchangeable plates for years, until one side wore out, then we went through a series of waffle irons that didn't work. I missed waffles! Much less time consuming than pancakes to me.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. Marlene,
      Sadly, the photo doesn't do them justice (I'd like to start putting a 'this was taken before I started learning how to improve my photos' caveat on the pertinent posts) but they are mighty fine.

      Thanks!

      Delete
  5. There is a pear tree in a shopping center parking lot just up the road. Every year the pears fall and no one pickes them up. And every year I threaten to go get some of those pears and make preserves. Looks like this should be the year. And pear butter sounds like just the ticket. Thanks for the recipe!
    Sarah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah,
      Go for it!
      I hate to see food wasted and am glad our farmers are resourceful.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  6. This looks awesome!!! We would love it if you would link up at our linky party:
    http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/two-girls-and-a-party-link-up-32/
    Live every Wednesday to Sunday.
    Hosted by:
    http://www.lifewiththecrustcutoff.com/ Parrish @ Life with the Crust Cut Off
    http://thissillygirlslife.com/ Dana @ This Silly Girl’s Life
    We hope to see you there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Parrish,
      Thanks for the invite--I like linky parties!

      Delete
  7. I want pear butter, even if it comes from confiscated pears, or borrowed pears or abandoned pears. Even though I knew it was coming, I still love the idea of using it in waffles. You are a genius.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Confiscated pears.

      I like that.

      Appropriated figs. Like that too. ;) Still stalking, still waiting . . .

      Thanks--you're sweet.

      Delete
  8. Oh. My. Goodness! *drooling* (looking like the overflowing waffle maker at the moment...)

    Thanks for sharing and linking up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heather,
      You're a hoot! You don't look a thing like my waffle maker--you're much too cheerful.
      Thanks for hosting!

      Delete