Lemon Ricotta Waffles with Blueberry Citrus Syrup are absolutely perfect for any weekend. The waffles themselves have a fantastic texture, heightened by a bit of crunchy cornmeal and creamy ricotta cheese. Buttermilk adds tang, while a generous amount of lemon zest and lemon juice add beautiful brightness in flavor.
¼teaspoonfreshly grated nutmeg or a pinch of ground nutmeg
Confectioners’ sugar,for serving
Instructions
To make the blueberry-citrus syrup, place water and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the blueberries and lemon zest and bring to a simmer. Cook until the berries pop and form a thick syrup, about 5 minutes. It will thicken more as it cools. Remove lemon zest strips before serving.
Preheat a waffle maker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, and melted butter. Gently stir in the ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
In the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Then stir in the granulated sugar and whip until stiff peaks form, another 2 to 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the egg mixture, stirring until just combined. Then gently fold in the egg whites.
Ladle (or scoop) the batter into the waffle maker, using ½ to ¾ cup batter per batch (my waffle maker takes a heaping ⅓ cup per waffle square). Spread the batter so it almost reaches the edges of the waffle maker. Cook until the waffles are crisp and browned, 4 to 6 minutes. These waffles tend to be slightly wet, so you have to cook them a little longer than usual.
Using a spatula, remove the waffles from the waffle maker and serve right away, or place on a baking sheet in a single layer in a 200°F oven for up to 20 minutes before serving. Drizzle with the blueberry-citrus syrup, and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Notes
If you don’t have buttermilk use 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with enough milk added to yield 1 cup to replicate the same tang you’d get with buttermilk.
I prefer waffles made in a Belgian-style waffle maker because they have deeper pockets for holding syrups and toppings, and also tend to have a slightly crisper texture because they are less doughy. Belgian waffles are traditionally small rectangles, but most Americans use round Belgian waffle makers. Either way works fine for this recipe though your yield will vary based on your waffle maker.