Best of Breakfast: Orange-Thyme Waffles with Mascarpone and Fruit Reader, you know us well enough...

Best of Breakfast:
Orange-Thyme Waffles
with Mascarpone and Fruit

Reader, you know us well enough by now to realize that there are very few things… >

Reader, you know us well enough by now to realize that there are very few things we don’t like to adorn. A cardigan just isn’t a cardigan without a ruffle and some lace, are we right? Our “more is more” M.O. even extends to breakfast, where instead of boring ol’ buttered toast, we play dress-up with hagelslag sprinkles. Bagel and cream cheese? Add some avocado and bacon then get back to us. That’s why the Belgian waffle is right up our alley: a treat is made even more heavenly by decadent toppings. Here, we pumped up the batter with citrus and aromatic thyme, then took it to the next level with sweet, creamy mascarpone and honey-marinated fruit. Is it breakfast? Is it dessert? We’re not quite sure, but it certainly is delicious.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

For the waffles:
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
2 eggs, separated
zest from one orange
leaves from 12 sprigs of fresh thyme
roasted almonds, chopped
honey or maple syrup, to serve

For the fresh fruit topping:
1 cup blueberries
1-2 nectarines, pitted and sliced
juice and zest from half an orange
leaves from 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
drizzle of honey

For the sweetened mascarpone:
1 cup crème fraîche
1/2 cup mascarpone
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla

HOW TO MAKE IT…

Make the fresh fruit topping first. Combine ingredients in a bowl, cover and let marinate.

For the sweetened mascarpone, whip all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

To make the waffle batter, mix yeast and warm water together in a small bowl until yeast dissolves. Set aside for 10 minutes. In another large bowl, combine flour and salt. In a third bowl, whisk together melted butter, milk, egg yolks and honey. Stir in the yeast mixture. Pour over the flour mixture and combine, being careful not to over-mix. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until very frothy. Gently fold into the batter, along with orange zest and thyme leaves. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes.

Cook according to waffle maker instructions. Arrange on a serving plate with fresh fruit, mascarpone topping, chopped roasted almonds, and honey or maple syrup.