Waffles with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Into a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved and eggs have turned a pale yellow. Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the egg-milk mixture and whisk just until blended. Do not overmix. In a third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.Using a rubber spatula , gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter, being careful not to overmix. Coat the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray , if required, and pour enough batter in the iron to just cover the waffle grid. Close and cook as per the manufacturer's instructions until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. (Do not open the waffle iron for at least 1 minute.) Repeat with the remaining batter .

Serve immediately with Strawberry Syrup spooned over the top of each waffle.

In a medium saucepan , combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the strawberries are soft and the syrup is thickened and reduced by one-third to one-half in volume, 15 to 18 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before serving. (If thinner syrup is desired, strain the hot syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container and let cool.)

Yield: 2 1/2 cups