In our house we call these “Awful Waffles”. Probably not the best name if I want to entice you to keep reading and try them. In fact, they are absolutely heavenly. Crisp on the outside but delicate and fluffy in the centre, and just a touch chewy.

I can’t remember how we started calling them by that name, but my daughter’s friends would always request “Awful Waffles” for breakfast when they slept over. The waffle batter needs to be made the night before. The yeast and long overnight rise give these waffles an unparalleled flavour and texture. They stay crispy long after they have cooled, although I doubt they’ll hang around that long.

The recipe comes from a charming gem of a cookbook, originally published in 1987. It’s called “The Breakfast Book”, by the late Marion Cunningham. I have shelves full of cookbooks, and this is one of the few that I actually use all the time. The recipe for her raw apple muffins has stood the test of time and is still one of my favourite muffins.

Here’s a video showing you how the batter is put together. Please note that in the actual recipe, the eggs and some baking soda are added in the morning, just before cooking. In the video I added the eggs at the beginning because I screwed up!

Usually I serve them with berries and maple syrup, but they also make an excellent ice cream sandwich! You’ll thank me.