On vacation in Hong Kong researching desserts for her second restaurant, V Street, Kate Jacoby of Philadelphia’s renowned vegetable restaurant, Vedge, found herself surveying street food in the nearby former Portuguese colony of Macau, where “everything looked like it was made of odd pieces of meat or eyeballs,” not ideal for a vegan. One exception was a crispy peanut butter-enriched waffle that she picked up from a vendor and loved. She created a vegan version back at home using tapioca starch instead of egg. It’s sweet and savory, with bittersweet ganache, umami-inflected miso caramel, and banana ice cream with fragrant curry spices Kate calls a savory envelope that carries the rich fruit flavor.
Peanut Butter Waffles with Chocolate Ganache, Curry-Banana Ice Cream, and Miso Caramel
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 grams) soy milk
- ¼ cup (56 grams) plus 4 teaspoons (20 grams) sunflower oil, divided
- ¼ cup (64 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) vegan egg replacer powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ganache (recipe follows)
- Curry-Banana Ice Cream (recipe below)
- Miso Caramel (recipe below)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together soy milk, ¼ cup (56 grams) sunflower oil, peanut butter, brown sugar, sesame oil, and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, egg replacer, and salt. Add flour mixture to milk mixture, whisking until combined.
- Heat a waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions. Lightly brush iron with 1 teaspoon (5 grams) sunflower oil. Spoon batter into waffle iron, and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. Repeat with remaining batter, lightly brushing iron with 1 teaspoon (5 grams) sunflower oil before each use. Refrigerate any remaining batter for up to 24 hours. To serve, smear waffles with Ganache. Place a scoop of Curry-Banana Ice Cream on top, and drizzle with Miso Caramel.
Notes
PRO TIP
Citrus juice is key for waking up the ice cream’s flavor. All Kate’s ice creams contain lemon or lime juice, but only add it when the mixture has fully cooled, otherwise it will have a flat, cooked flavor.
Citrus juice is key for waking up the ice cream’s flavor. All Kate’s ice creams contain lemon or lime juice, but only add it when the mixture has fully cooled, otherwise it will have a flat, cooked flavor.
Ganache
Makes 1½ cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup (170 grams) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate morsels
- ½ cup (120 grams) soy milk
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) instant coffee
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In the top of a double boiler, whisk together chocolate and soy milk. Cook over simmering water until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Add coffee and salt, whisking to combine. Let cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Curry-Banana Ice Cream
Makes 1 quart
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 grams) water
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (300 grams) chopped banana
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) curry powder
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground turmeric
- 1 cup (240 grams) soy milk
- 1 cup (240 grams) coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup (240 grams) water and sugar to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add banana, curry powder, and turmeric; cover and simmer just until bananas are softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in soy milk and coconut milk; let cool completely.
- Transfer mixture to the container of a blender, and add all remaining ingredients; blend until combined. Transfer to a large bowl, and refrigerate until chilled.
- Place mixture in an ice cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Miso Caramel
Makes ½ cup
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 grams) soy milk
- 2 tablespoons (32 grams) white miso
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar turns amber colored, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
