Coconut Waffles with Raspberry Rhubarb Sauce

Though pancakes are more universally accepted as weekend breakfast choice, Waffles come in at a close second. Due to their crispy texture and ease of preparation, they are popular with kids and moms alike! This weekend, we made some nice and crispy Coconut Waffles, topped with Raspberry-Rhubarb Sauce – it was a wonderful change to begin the day. The whole family loved it. The slightly-sweet slightly-tangy sauce was a perfect topping for the delicately flavored coconut waffles.

You can experiment with your favorite sauce recipe – blueberries, huckleberries, strawberries, anything that’s fresh and fruity is just lovely to beat the summer heat! I love the deep red color of the Raspberry-Rhubarb sauce, and I’m sure you’ll love it too, including your kids! Its easy, fun, looks beautiful, and is nutritious too, if you watch the amount of sugar you add to the sauce.

Coconut Waffles with Raspberry-Rhubarb Sauce

Ingredients
Makes about 4 to 6 waffles

Coconut Waffles
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 – 4 drops natural coconut extract, optional
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Raspberry Rhubarb Sauce
Makes about 2 cups of sauce
4 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Making the Waffles
Preheat the waffle iron. Whisk egg, coconut milk, butter, vanilla, and coconut extract in a small bowl until well combined.

Whisk the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl to distribute thoroughly. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones while stirring with the whisk or a wooden spoon until you can no longer see the flour – but don’t stir too forcefully, use gentle, one0sided stirring motion.

Make the waffles according to the waffle-maker’s instructions. Repeat for the remaining batter.

Storing Instructions: You can wrap these waffles in cellophane paper or cling wrap and freeze them for upto 15 days. Just pop them into a toaster oven to reheat before serving.

Making the Sauce:
Combine rhubarb, raspberries, water and sugar in a medium thick-bottomed saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until rhubarb is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vanilla and remove from heat. Now blend them in a blender to make a smooth sauce of your desired consistency. We like it thin, so I blend it well, and them pass it through a sieve/colander to remove the raspberry seeds. You can serve it immediately, or store in a refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Layer your Coconut Waffles in a plate. Top them with a generous helping of fresh fruit sauce, dust them with some more powdered sugar and a large dollop of butter and serve hot for a delicious weekend breakfast!