Berry compote with Belgian waffles

On my last brunch post, I talked about inspiration from eating out.  I love it when we enjoy something at a restaurant that I can easily recreate at home.  This time, it's a simple berry compote, served warm with Belgian waffles, inspired by a menu item from the restaurant, Balthazar, in NYC.

Ever since I got my waffle maker, we have waffles pretty often for weekend breakfast. I mix it up between several recipes and these Belgian waffles, adapted from The Pioneer Woman, is one of those on our rotation.  Folding whipped egg whites into the batter helps make the waffles crisp and we really like their simple sweet, vanilla flavor. Usually, we reach for maple syrup but I thought I'd change it up and make a berry compote, much like what we had at Balthazar a few months ago.  

It's often the little things, small touches, that make something special and so, sometimes it's nice to take an extra step like making a berry compote to go with your waffles.  While fresh berries are a great option right now, I used frozen mixed berries so that I could have a mix of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, as well as blackberries in this little compote.  It's so convenient and literally takes just minutes to make.  

Into a pot, I simply added frozen mixed berries that I thawed the night before (you can use fresh berries, of course), along with some orange zest, sugar, and if you like, a splash of Grand Marnier.  I love the hint of orange flavor in the background.  It just takes a few minutes to heat up the mixture and melt the sugar.  In the last minute of cooking, stir in a little cornstarch slurry to thicken the liquid...and your berry compote is ready for breakfast!

It's easy to scale how much compote you want to make and aside from serving it with waffles, you could certainly use it to go alongside pancakes or French toast.  You could layer it with yogurt to make a parfait, or serve it as an accompaniment to a slice of pound cake or something similar. 

We enjoyed it with the waffles and I made it particularly with my husband in mind. His sweet tooth starts early in the day with a preference for sweet breakfasts. Frankly, he also prefers his fruit with extra sugar.  This is right up his alley and a nice treat to enjoy on an occasional weekend morning.  

Here's to a great week and upcoming weekend!  We are racing towards the finish line that is the end of the school year.  More importantly, it's the little guy's 12th birthday this Saturday, as well as Father's Day on Sunday.  It's always a jam-packed June with those two main events.  So I'm looking forward to focusing on the fellas this weekend...and, as usual, food will certainly play a key role!

Recipe:

Berry Compote 
Adapted from Laura Vitale

- Approximately 2-4 servings - 

2 cups mixed berries (fresh, or use frozen but thawed; I used a mix of frozen strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)
Scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest of half an orange
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (optional) 
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice or water

In a small bowl, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with orange juice or water.  Set aside.

Place berries into a small saucepan, along with sugar, zest, and Grand Marnier (if using).  Heat over medium high heat, gently swirling and lightly stirring on occasion, until mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved.  Add the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 more minute (do not overcook or fruit will break down too much).

Let cool slightly and serve with Belgian waffles (suggested recipe below), pancakes, or French toast.  You could also layer it with yogurt for a parfait, or serve it as an accompaniment to a slice of pound cake or something similar.   

Belgian Waffles 
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

- Makes 4-5 deep-pocketed Belgian-style waffles - 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 rounded tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large egg whites

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  In a liquid measuring cup, whisk the milk, egg yolk, vanilla, and melted butter together.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and whisk until about halfway incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.  Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, until just barely combined.  

Ladle batter into your waffle maker and cook until golden brown and crisp.  Serve warm with berry compote (recipe above) or with maple syrup.