World Waffle Day: Celebrate with caviar

Instead of serving blinis with a tin of caviar, Justin Chapple makes these adorable grab-and-go snacks. The waffles are cut into strips, and each square is filled with caviar, crème fraîche, and chopped chives to create the perfect bite.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour (approx. 60 g)
• 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ cup of buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter (plus more for greasing)
• 3 tablespoons of fresh cream
• 1 jar (30 g) of paddlefish caviar
• Freshly chopped chives for garnish

Preparation:

• Grease a round waffle iron with butter; preheat to high. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter in a small bowl until well combined. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture; whisk just until combined.
• Pour half of the waffle batter (about 1/2 cup) onto the preheated waffle iron; spread gently onto the rack with a small spatula. Close the waffle iron; cook until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Using the grid markings as a guide, cut each waffle into 4 portions, then cut 3 long rectangular pieces from each portion to obtain 12 portions per waffle. (Discard the scraps or reserve them for another use.)
• Pour the crème fraîche into a small resealable plastic bag; snip off a corner of the bag to create a 6 mm opening. Spoon the caviar evenly onto the outer square of each rectangular waffle; place a small dollop of crème fraîche on the squares just next to the caviar. Garnish with chives. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

TIP

Store the cooled waffles, separated by waxed paper, in ziplock bags; freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake at 175°C for about 5 minutes until piping hot. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Happy Waffle Day!