Vegan Black Sesame Waffles

Another black sesame recipe that I tried this weekend. The batter made at least 6 waffles. I froze the extra waffles that we can just put in the toaster to reheat.

Vegan black sesame waffles (~from Vegan Miam)

Ingredients

Black Sesame Paste:

100g (1 cup) black sesame seeds (not roasted)*

80ml vegetable oil or other neutral oil

30ml agave syrup

Waffle Batter:

260g (2 cups) all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp teaspoon salt

170g (6oz) plain coconut or almond milk yogurt (Dream Yogurt)

180ml dairy-free milk (coconut, soy, almond, etc)

100ml water

80ml neutral oil

palm oil shortening or other vegan shortening for the waffle iron

Peanut Sugar garnish (optional):

20g roasted unsalted peanuts

10g light brown sugar

pinch of salt

Other garnish (optional):

Method

·        To make the Black Sesame Paste: Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sesame seeds and spread them into a thin layer. Toast for 8-10 minutes until aromatic but not burnt, stirring frequently and shaking the pan as needed. To know when they are ready, grab a few sesame seeds and rub them between your fingers. If the seeds crumble between your fingers, then they are ready.

·        While still hot, transfer the sesame seeds to a coffee grinder. Process for 2 minutes or so, making sure all the sesame seeds are pulverized into a fine powder. The powder will have a visible oiliness to it. Scrape any unground seeds down from the sides as needed and briefly grind again. Transfer the black sesame seed powder to a small bowl and add oil and agave. Stir to combine until smooth and silky. It will be used in the waffle batter.

·        To make the Waffles: In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Add the Black Sesame Paste and whisk again until thoroughly combined and the batter is grey. The waffle batter is ready to use immediately.

·        For a darker waffle with stronger sesame notes, refrigerate overnight in a sealed container before serving. Cook according to the instructions for your waffle maker*, brushing with vegan shortening between each batch.

·        To make the Peanut Sugar garnish: In a dry skillet, toast the peanuts until they begin to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a mortar with a pestle or a coffee grinder along with the sugar and salt and pulverize into a coarse powder. It’s ok to have a few small chunks of peanut. In either case, avoid over-grinding the mixture as it will start to become peanut butter.

Notes

·        Advance preparation: If you prepare the batter in advance and store in the fridge, the color from the black sesame will set and your batter and waffles will be darker. Add warm water, 1tsp at a time, to loosen the batter if it thickens too much after refrigeration. Kept refrigerated in a sealed container the waffle batter will last for up to 5 days.

·        Black sesame seeds: Do not purchase the roasted type. The raw black sesame seeds are available on Amazon.com, natural food stores and Asian supermarkets. Try to purchase them in small batches and store them in the freezer since they go rancid quickly.