Toasted Coconut Waffles with Fresh Mangoes and Palm Syrup

Let me get this off my chest straight away, waffles aren't usual breakfast fare in our house. In fact, my waffle iron sees the light of day about twice a year. Most of the time it's at the back of an already groaning kitchen cupboard, hidden underneath piles of other bits of kitchen paraphernalia I have hoarded collected over the years. So when my brown-eyed, long-lashed 8 year old son asked "Can we have waffles for breakfast?"- *blink, blink*, I was happy to oblige. Not only does this mean I win major brownie points with the kids, it also gives me the perfect justification for the existence of the waffle iron in my over-crowded cupboards. When my husband huffs sweatily, juggling the stuff in that cupboard - I deliver my line "I know the waffle iron takes up a lot of space but the kids asked for waffles for breakfast just the other day" - *smile, tooth glint*.

Not only that, it's school holidays and if I can't make waffles for breakfast then I never will and then there goes my excuse for hanging on to a rather large, under-used guzzler of kitchen space. 

I'm not sentimental about material things. I don't have collections of antique dolls or rare stamps. I'm very ruthless when it comes to getting rid of clutter. I've been known to throw things out and then realise we actually needed/used that thing (usually about a week too late). But when it comes to kitchenalia, I'm a sucker. My weakness for kitchen gadgets, pretty crockery, funky tableware and pots and pans is only seconded by my pathological penchant for cook books (and that's a whole other story).

I might only make them once a year, but they are totally worth the quarter-of-a-kitchen-cupboard the equipment takes up (well, I think so anyway).

Toasted Coconut Waffles with Fresh Mangoes and Palm Syrup

from Bill Granger's Bill's Sydney Food

1/2 cup shredded coconut

3 eggs, separated

50 g unsalted butter, melted

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup coconut milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plain flour

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoon  bicarb soda

3 tablespoon caster sugar

Fresh mango, sliced (to serve)

Palm Syrup (to serve)

Heat oven to 180 degrees C.

Spread the coconut on a baking tray and toast for 3 or 4 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Combine egg yolks, melted butter, milk, coconut milk, vanilla and toasted coconut. 

Sift flour, salt, baking soda and sugar then make a well in the centre and then gradually stir in wet ingredients. 

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then fold through batter.

Cook the waffles in a waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Serve with slices of fresh mango and then drizzle with syrup. 

If you don't have palm syrup, use palm sugar to make your own: Grate 100g of palm sugar into a saucepan, add 1 cup of water and dissolve over a medium heat. Continue to cook until it becomes syrupy. Allow to cool before spooning over waffles.