From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen: Waffles

If there's one food I love more than donuts, it's waffles. I think my love for waffles is only rivaled by my love for pie. So imagine how happy I was to find a fictional kindred spirit who loves waffles just as much as, or possibly more than, me: Nina Zenik.

Nina brings up waffles in both Six of Crows books, but more so in Crooked Kingdom. So I knew I had the perfect From the Bookshelf to the Kitchen theme, thanks to her. In fact, I made two different types.

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Lemon Sour Cream Waffles

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

3 T. sugar

1/4 t. salt

zest from 2 lemons*

1 T. lemon juice**

1 t. pure vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 c. sour cream

1/2 c. milk

*I left out the zest since we didn't have fresh lemons for some bizarre reason?? You probably could do without the zest if you add extra juice.

**Since I halved the recipe, I only used 1/2 T. lemon juice, and I think it would've actually benefitted from double the lemon juice. So play around with the flavors. :)

Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (including the lemon zest). In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Add them to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Grease the waffle iron with cooking spray and cook according to manufacturer instructions. (I suggest using a 1/2 cup of batter per waffle.) Serve warm with butter and maple syrup or powdered sugar (or whipped cream).

Dark Chocolate Waffles

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. cocoa powder

1/3 c. brown sugar*

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 c. oil

1 3/4 c. milk

*I think the waffles needed to be a teeny bit sweeter, so I might suggest adding an 1/8 of a cup of granulated sugar as well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center, and add the eggs, oil, and milk. Mix until the batter is well-combined and smooth. Cook according to manufacturer instructions and serve warm with powdered sugar or whipped cream.

I think Nina Zenik would be proud of me.

Have a book/recipe suggestion? Leave it in the comments below!