Polish wafers!

These crispy Polish wafer cookies -- wafle -- are also known as mazurka wafers and are used to build tortes spread with rich fillings. If you can't find a Polish wafer iron, a Scandinavian goro or krumkake iron will work.

They're delicious as is but even better if sandwiched with a thin layer of honey, jam or chocolate and sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, if desired. I like to leave them plain because the design shows up better. They're very fragile and can become soggy if not stored in an airtight container.

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 ounces (1 stick) butter that has been clarified (see below)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Cream egg yolks with confectioner's sugar until light. Stir in clarified butter and vanilla. Add flour and beat vigorously until thick but pourable. If too thick, dilute with a little half-and-half.
   
   
2. Just before baking, whip egg whites and fold into batter. Place wafer iron over gas or electric burner on medium heat, brush with butter and spoon in just enough batter to cover the surface. Close lid and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook another 1 1/2 minutes. Remove to a platter to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
   
   
3. When wafers are completely cool, spread one plain side of a wafer with filling of choice and top with another wafer, plain side down, to make a sandwich cookie. They can be dusted with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
   
   
4. Another way to use the wafers is to build a torte of 6 to 8 wafer layers. Pour melted chocolate over the top, if desired, and when set, cut into small rectangles.
   
   
5. These cookies are very fragile, so handle them carefully. Store tightly covered.

Cinnamon wafers

Time to share the awesome do-it yourself recipe from more then hundred years ago. Check it out - you won't ever think about stupid cookies again ! :)

6 oz (3/4 cup–170 g) finely powdered sugar (granulated sugar powdered in a coffee grinder)

8 oz (2 cups–230 g) AP flour

1/2 oz (2 heaping tbsp–15 g) ground cinnamon

6 oz (12 tbsp–170 g) butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

10 tbsp–150 ml whole milk (or as needed)

butter for the iron

To make these wafers you need a pizzelle or wafer iron, either electric or stovetop (I used a stovetop pizzelle iron) and 2-3 racks on which to place the cookies to cool.

Sift together the powdered sugar, cinnamon and flour. Add the melted butter and the well beaten egg. Mix well and add the milk, one tbsp at a time. The dough is ready when it has the consistency of drop cookies dough–it has to be scooped by the tablespoon on the hot pizzelle iron. Butter the hot iron plates at first, but then the amount of butter in the dough will make it unnecessary to continue to do so, the wafers come off the iron plates very easily. Each side takes no more than 30 seconds to cook. Place each wafer on a rack (they will harden and crisp while they cool). As soon as they cool place them in an airtight container.

Time to learn more about wafers

I always wanted to let the world know more about wafers. Here I will share some history and recipes for the awesomest  wafers around the world.

Enjoy ;)

In cooking, a wafer is a crisp, often sweet, very thin, flat, and dry biscuit, often used to decorate ice cream. Wafers can also be made into cookies with cream flavoring sandwiched between them. They frequently have a waffle surface pattern but may also be patterned with insignia of the food's manufacturer or may be patternless. Many chocolate bars, such as Kit Kat and Coffee Crisp, have wafers in them.

The word also refers to the special small round flatbreads made for Western Rite celebrations of the Eucharist, including Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and some of the more liturgical Protestant churches. The word Host is used to describe the larger wafer used by the clergy, while the term, "communion wafer" refers to the smaller pieces used to distribute Holy Communion to the people. These holy wafers often have an image of a cross or the crucified Christ imprinted on them.