Bacon and Cheese Buttermilk Waffles with an Apple Compote

Happy Back to the Future Day!!

Where’s my hoverboard?!?

I always loved watching the Back to the Future movies. They were so funny and over the top with what the future would hold.

I guess that the closest thing we get to a hoverboard is a segway, I would never survive riding on one of those. I am just happy that I ride a bike now without falling off. Call me old fashion. ha!

It’s Wednesday, it’s midweek, we are halfway through to the weekend.

I remind myself that every week, but this week especially. I’m just feeling crummy with a cold and mental frame of mind. So I’m reminding myself to look towards the future, but not to forget the good things going on now. And for those crummy things, they will pass.

I certainly hope that Autumn’s cold and wicked cough pass quickly. Poor chicken.

So here’s to the weekend when I get a chance to make a great breakfast for my family. I love how breakfast becomes an event at our house on the weekends. It’s the coffee that Price puts on, the mugs I always grab for us, Autumn’s early morning bowls of ‘eral’ (current fav is rice krispies), and then my chance to get to work on a breakfast that I have looked forward to all week.

I recently made these Bacon and Cheese Buttermilk Waffles with an Apple Compote and they just made me so dang happy!

I love the combination of salty and sweet things. That is exactly why I loved these waffles. It’s a great combination of the salty bacon and cheese and the sweet apple compote.

I specifically used Kerrygold’s Dubliner cheese as it’s a complex cow’s milk cheese that is sharp, yet sweet, yet somewhat nutty. It’s their signature  cheese so it’s dang good. I wanted a really flavorful cheese that would stand up to the bacon and the apples. I felt that sharpness would be key, as one could compare it to a sharp cheddar.

If you don’t feel like doing with a sweet topping then I really, really suggest slapping an egg on the savory waffles. Shoot you can even make waffle egg sandwiches by making small waffles (by not completely filling your waffle iron) and putting an egg between 2 waffles. Total yum!

Now everyone, remind yourself that the weekend will be here before we know and that we should take the time to make ourselves a great breakfast to celebrate the weekend.

Bacon and Cheese Buttermilk Waffles with an Apple Compote

Makes 7-8 Heart Shaped Waffles (yield will depend on waffle maker used)

Ingredients

For the Waffles

• 8 ounces bacon
• 1 3/4 cups unsifted cake flour or all-purpose flour (or 8 oz weighed)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 1/2 Cup butter, melted and cooled (I suggest Kerrygold)
• 4 oz of freshly shredded cheese, I suggest Kerrygold’s Dubliner or similar

For the Apple Topping

• 6-7 apples, depending on size
• 2/3 Cup brown sugar
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Process

1. Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon slices into pieces that are 1/4″ – 1/2″ in size. Cook over medium- low heat until evenly browned. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate.
2. Prepare your apple compote by peeling and then slicing your apples into 1/4″ thick slices. Cook in a pot over medium heat with the rest of the ingredients.  Once the mixture begins to bubble, turn down to just simmer. You do not want to break down the apples, just soften them.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
4. Beat the eggs and buttermilk together in a small bowl.
5. Combine the buttermilk and eggs into the flour mixture. Mix lightly with a fork until the flour is moistened. Mix in the melted butter, the grated cheese, and bacon. The batter should be lumpy.
6. Cook in your preheated waffle iron. A really hot iron will produce a better waffle with nice crisp edges!
7. Serve your waffles by topping off with the apple compote.

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Kerrygold has provided me with butters and cheeses to use in the creation of these waffle recipes for my #WaffleWednesday series. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks for all of your comments. I appreciate them all.