flipHoney Wafers (Oublies), Hot Iron
Honey Wafers (Oublies), Hot Iron
Why this dish? Berthe is entirely tied to devotion: an illuminated psalter, pious donation charters, a reliquary. The oublies, thin batters cooked between two irons—close to altar bread—were given as alms and at religious festivals. For a queen concerned with the salvation of her soul after a condemned union, these are the sweets of piety.
Very thin wheat and honey wafers, cooked between two hot irons until crispy and golden, perfumed with a veil of cinnamon: the sweet that was offered and shared at church festivals.
These little oublies, I have them baked between the irons as one bakes the altar bread, so light they break at the fingertips. A little wheat, honey from my hives, an ounce of cinnamon, and let the iron be hot—take care not to let them blacken. I have them brought to the poor at the church doors, for sweetness shared for the love of God is worth more than a feast kept for oneself.
- •Wheat flour — two handfuls (batter base)
- •Honey — a spoonful (sweetness)
- •Water — as needed (binder)
- •Cinnamon — a pinch (flavor)
- •Eggs — one or two (binder)
Honey Wafers (Oublies), Hot Iron
Very thin wheat and honey wafers, cooked between two hot irons until crispy and golden, perfumed with a veil of cinnamon: the sweet that was offered and shared at church festivals.
Why this dish? Berthe is entirely tied to devotion: an illuminated psalter, pious donation charters, a reliquary. The oublies, thin batters cooked between two irons—close to altar bread—were given as alms and at religious festivals. For a queen concerned with the salvation of her soul after a condemned union, these are the sweets of piety.
These little oublies, I have them baked between the irons as one bakes the altar bread, so light they break at the fingertips. A little wheat, honey from my hives, an ounce of cinnamon, and let the iron be hot—take care not to let them blacken. I have them brought to the poor at the church doors, for sweetness shared for the love of God is worth more than a feast kept for oneself.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wheat flour — two handfuls (batter base)
- Honey — a spoonful (sweetness)
- Water — as needed (binder)
- Cinnamon — a pinch (flavor)
- Eggs — one or two (binder)
Ingredients
- Wheat flour — 150 g (base)
- Honey — 2 tbsp (sweetness)
- Eggs — 2 (binder)
- Water — 150 ml (thins the batter)
- Ground cinnamon — 1 pinch (flavor)
- Butter — a little, to grease the iron (cooking)
Method
- Mix the flour, honey, eggs, cinnamon, and water to obtain a smooth, fluid batter.
- Let the batter rest for 20 min.
- Heat a waffle iron (or a lightly buttered frying pan for very thin pancakes).
- Pour a small ladleful of batter, close the iron, and cook for a few tens of seconds until golden.
- Roll the oublies while warm into cones or leave them flat; they harden and become crispy as they cool.
How it was made : Oublies (or 'nieules'), ancestors of the waffle and the delight of traveling 'oubloyeurs', were cooked between two engraved irons and linked to liturgical bread. They were distributed at religious festivals and as alms, with honey replacing the almost non-existent sugar in France around the year 1000.
The contemporary twist : Roll them warm around a cone-shaped handle and fill with a cloud of honey-sweetened fresh cheese: the medieval waffle becomes a festive ice cream cone.
Berthe de Bourgogne · Charactorium
