Raised Waffles

Source: 1896 Fannie Farmer Cookbook

1/2 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast
2 cups milk, warmed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Use a rather large mixing bowl — the batter will rise to double its original volume. Put the water in the mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes to dissolve. Add milk, melted butter, salt, sugar and flour to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth and well blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.

Just before cooking the waffles, beat in the eggs, add the baking soda and stir until well mixed. The batter will be very thin. Pour one-half to three-quarters of a cup of batter into a very hot waffle iron for the first waffle, bake until golden and crisp and repeat. Or, store remaining batter in refrigerator for several days.

Makes 8 waffles.