Sunday Morning Waffles & Ice Cream

For the Maple Cheesecake Ice Cream:

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla bean seeds or vanilla paste or extract in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add the cream cheese to the dairy mixture and allow to sit for five minutes.

Pour into a blender and blend on high until completely smooth, about two minutes. Transfer to an airtight container, add the lemon zest, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, churn the ice cream according to the instructions from your ice cream machine. When the ice cream reaches a thick, soft serve texture, transfer it to an airtight container. Fold in the frozen crumble, cover, and freeze until set (about three hours).

In an airtight container, the ice cream can keep in the freezer for up to three weeks.

For the Brown Butter Crumble:

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stirring with a heatproof silicone spatula or wooden spoon, cook the butter until it browns and its fragrance is rich and nutty. Scrape the bottom and sides of the saucepan as it browns so the milk solids don’t stick.

Pour the browned butter and milk solids into a heatproof bowl and refrigerate until just beginning to firm, 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Add the butter and vanilla and using your hands, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it begins to clump together, forming the crumble. You want the crumble to consist of pea-sized bits.

Spread the crumble evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring every seven minutes, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Cool to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container, cover, and freeze.

The crumble can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Extra crumble can be used to top the waffle feast.

For the Sunday Morning Waffles: 

Preheat the oven to 200°F to keep the waffles warm while you are cooking them one by one. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Preheat your waffle iron.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, add the buttermilk, and whisk together. Fold them into the dry ingredients, then fold in the butter.

Spray the waffle iron lightly with nonstick cooking spray if it is not well-seasoned. Spoon 1/2 cup of batter onto the iron for each four-inch-square Belgian waffle or 1/4 cup of batter for each four-inch-square standard waffle. Cook the waffles until deep golden brown, about five minutes if you are using an electric waffle maker. If you are using a cast-iron stove-top waffle iron, this should take about two and a half minutes per side on medium-high heat. Transfer cooked waffles to the sheet pan with a rack set on it, and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat until all the batter is used.

The waffles can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They also can be frozen for up to two weeks. Re-crisp them in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for five minutes.

To Assemble:

Peel and thinly slice the peaches. Sprinkle with the sugar and let set for 10 minutes.

If you’ve made your waffles ahead of time, re-crisp them in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for five minutes.

Place two waffles, one on top of the other, on a plate. Top with sliced peaches, drizzling their juices all over the waffles, then add a nice fat scoop of ice cream. Add extra brown butter crumble, if desired.