Low and Slow Pear Butter Waffles

Last year, the folks who grow the farm share spent a few autumn days gleaning pears off of many unloved and unmanaged pear trees in the city.  They shared the pears with us.  The pears weren't ripe yet, so I set them on the counter and moved on to the more pressing items in the share.  When I noticed that the pears were ripening, I moved them into the crisper and continued to deal with the more perishable foods.  Then I needed to make room for the incoming Fruit Fundraiser influx.

Apparently my son takes after me.  While doing a personality test in Science class he learned he's an Otter--that means he procrastinates.  Hmmm, wonder where he gets that from?

What to do with all those pears?  Farmgirl Fare to the rescue!

I made pear butter in the oven following Susan's recipe.  It's simple as can be.  Pears, an acid (lime juice for me since I was out of lemon) and a sweet (honey for me).  I attempted for a brief and futile moment to smush my pears through a fine mesh strainer (forget that!), then considered hopping in the car to use a coupon at BB&B to get the recommended Foley Food Mill, and ended up just chopping stuff up with my immersion blender.  The result, after a few low and slow hours in the oven, was delicious.

I'd taken unattractive free local produce, procured by my CSA farmers, and turned it into something delicious!

After 2 1/2 hours in the oven.  BTW, the worm bin in the Otter's closet got the scraps.

Try Susan's recipe.  You can find it here.  Then take a cup of that pear butter and make waffles.  The waffles are pretty straightforward.  The cool thing about them is that these waffles have some of that pear texture.  The waffles come out of the waffle iron soft, but firm up as they cool.  The leftovers reheated well in a toaster for weekday breakfasts.

Yes, the overflowing waffle iron strikes again.  I have a video this time.

Pear Butter Waffles

1 cup (240 ml) pear butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup (60 ml) cooking oil
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
1-2 Tablespoons sugar
4 ounces (1 cup) whole wheat flour
4 1/4 ounces (1 cup) unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine pear butter, eggs, oil and buttermilk.  Mix thoroughly.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir just until combined (so that no large lumps remain, but the batter isn't silky-smooth).  Then walk away--walk away!  Let the batter rest at least 10 minutes and up to an hour.  When you're ready to bake, preheat your waffle iron and bake according to manufacturer's instructions.
And if you want to see my overflowing waffle iron in action, I put the 12 second music video up on my FB page.

Other fruit or vegetable waffle recipes I've shared on this blog:
Butternut Squash Waffles
Chocolate Zucchini Waffles
Sweet Corn and Blueberry Waffles
Tangerine Waffles

These waffles are shared on the Clever Chicks Blog Hop, the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up, What's Cookin' Wednesday, What's In The Box, Food on Friday, and the From the Farm Blog Hop.