GOOD IDEAS: You will need special irons for making these professional-looking pastries. The deep ones make perfect patty shells for creamed chicken, lobster, or vegetables. The flat-styled rosettes are delicious with crushed fruit and whipped cream or merely sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with coffee. Use the tiny ones filled with any Hors d'oeuvre mixture as a very special cocktail tidbit...

"PERFECT TEMPERATURE": 325 degrees to 350 degrees

BATTER RECIPE:

1 egg, (large)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar or sugar substitute
1 tbsp. vanilla (combination of both vanilla and rum is great)
1/2 c. evaporated milk OR: 1 c. whole milk
1/2 c. water
1 c. (rounded) flour (All-purpose ONLY, please)

Mix by hand in order given. Batter should be free of lumps and "creamlike" in texture. If not, thin down with a drop or two of water. Please allow to stand 1/2 hour so that the air bubbles will disappear. (DIRECTIONS FOLLOW FOR "FLAT-STYLE" MOLDS).

Put enough shortening of your choice in a heavy pan (an electric fry pan, etc., is ideal because of temperature control) to cover the iron completely. Preheat all mods by dipping into the heated fat (325 to 350 degrees) for about 10 seconds. Lift out the iron, drain slightly on a paper towel and dip into the batter even with the top. NO batter should go over the top of any mold. Lift out and lower into the hot fat and SUBMERGE completely under the shortening for a quick second. Lift out and let the rosette gently drop into the frying fat. It will expand in size. While it is browning on its own, re-dip the iron and repeat. When brown on one side, turn to brown other. Remove from fat; drain on paper towel.

Use a small, deep pan (one the iron will fit nicely into) for ALL deep molds. It will bring the frying fat up higher on the sides, thus saving on the amount needed. Allow all deep, fillable molds to rest on the bottom of the pan for a second or two while being fried as this will assure a FLAT surface to the finished pastries! Also wait until pastry is FIRM before releasing from any deep pattern. While it is browning to your like, re-dip again.

I've found the "PERFECT" frying temperature for all types of fats to be between 325 and 350 degrees. If at any time your iron misbehaves by either not allowing the batter to go ON or come OFF the iron, remember nothing is wrong except it is a WARNING that you are beginning to creep ABOVE the 350 degree mark! So, if using an electric controlled pan, etc., please check its accuracy by double- checking with a reliable "Candy-deep fat-jelly" thermometer and also check the texture of the batter.

If desired, dessert-type rosettes (while warm) can be shaken gently in a paper bag in which you have mixed a small amount of granulated sugar, dash or two of cinnamon and perhaps some brown sugar as well. However, for a snack by itself or with drinks, salad, etc. you might like trying the same method BUT using instead: pinch or two of dehydrated parsley flakes or chives, seasoned salt, grated Paremsan- Romano cheese!

If tinted pastries are desired, add 1 or 2 drops of food coloring to the batter.

Store in a loosely covered container to keep crisp. (They'll keep 2 to 3 weeks) To serve: reheat in warm oven, sugar and serve. Always store unsugared.

So, for perfect results it is most important to retain the 325 to 350 degree of heat. "HAPPY WAFFLING"