Norwegian Waffles (Vafler)
By Middagsarkivet
- Easy
- 4 servings
Norwegian vafler are nothing like the crisp Belgian kind. They are thin, soft and bendable, cooked in an iron that makes five joined hearts, and they are torn apart and eaten with the hands. Cardamom and sour cream in the batter are what make them Norwegian rather than just sweet pancake in another shape.
They show up at cabin weekends, church basements, school fundraisers, ferry cafeterias and any Norwegian office that wants people to turn up to a meeting. The classic topping is rømme, the thick Norwegian sour cream, with strawberry or raspberry jam. Full-fat American sour cream stands in for rømme without complaint. Brown cheese is the other standard, and if you have a block of brunost, shave it thin over a hot waffle and let it slump.
A standard round or square waffle iron works, the waffles just come out in the wrong shape. The heart iron is the one Norwegians own, and it bakes thinner and faster than most American irons.
How to make it
- 1
Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom and salt together in a large bowl.
- 2
Add the wet
Whisk in the eggs and about half the milk until the batter is smooth and thick, then whisk in the rest of the milk, the sour cream, the melted butter and the vanilla. The batter should be thinner than pancake batter, closer to heavy cream.
- 3
Rest the batter
Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. The flour hydrates and the waffles come out softer. Do not taste the raw batter; it contains raw flour and raw egg.
- 4
Heat the iron
Heat the waffle iron to medium. Brush the plates with a little butter the first time, after that the batter carries enough fat on its own.
- 5
Bake the waffles
Ladle about 1/2 cup of batter into the center of the iron, close it, and bake until the steam dies down and the waffle is pale gold and set, 2 to 3 minutes. Norwegian waffles are meant to stay soft, so pull them before they turn crisp and brown.
- 6
Keep them going
Stack the finished waffles on a plate under a clean kitchen towel while you bake the rest. Stir the batter once or twice as you go; it settles.
- 7
Serve
Tear the hearts apart and serve warm with sour cream and raspberry preserves, a little butter if you want it, and a dusting of confectioners' sugar.
A couple of tips
Pull the waffles while they are still pale and pliable. Browned and crisp is a different waffle entirely, and not this one.
If the batter thickens while it rests, thin it with a splash of milk until it pours off the ladle in a ribbon.
Stacking the hot waffles under a towel is not laziness: the trapped steam is what keeps them soft.
What you need
- Norwegian heart-shaped waffle iron, or any waffle iron
Serving
Serve warm with sour cream and raspberry jam, strong black coffee alongside. Thin shavings of Norwegian brown cheese on a hot waffle are the other classic, as is butter and sugar for anyone under ten.
Storing it
Best within the hour. Cooled waffles keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days or frozen for 2 months; reheat in a toaster or a dry skillet. Batter keeps covered in the refrigerator for 24 hours, whisked briefly before use.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 840 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 36 g |
| of which saturated | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 119 g |
| of which sugars | 54 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Salt | 2 g |
Questions and answers
- Can you freeze Norwegian waffles?
- Yes. Cool them completely, stack with parchment between, and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in a toaster.
- What can I use instead of rømme?
- Full-fat American sour cream is the closest everyday match and is what this recipe calls for. Crème fraîche works too, and skyr or thick Greek yogurt if you want it tangier.
- Can I make the batter the night before?
- Yes, cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Whisk it and thin with a little milk before baking, since it thickens overnight.
- Do I need a heart-shaped waffle iron?
- No, a regular round or square iron works. Keep the heat at medium and pull the waffles early so they stay soft rather than crisp.
- Why are my waffles crisp instead of soft?
- The iron is too hot or they stayed in too long. Bake just until the steam slows, then stack them under a kitchen towel so the steam softens them.
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- 1 min 34 sec
- 5
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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