Made with pancake-like batter or in some cases yeast batter, waffles, or waffles, are delicious for breakfast or brunch. In Belgium, some types of waffles are sold on the street and people eat them with their hands. However, most waffles are normally served on a plate, so it can be eaten with a fork and knife. Try the classic waffles, you can experiment with different decorations, sauces and toppings. It is in fact possible to give free rein to one's creativity both to serve them and to eat them.
Ingrediants
Waffle
- 2 cups (250 g) of flour
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) of sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) of salt
- 415 ml of milk
- 80 ml of vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
Classic Seals
- Fresh sliced fruit
- Butter
- Maple syrup
- Whipped Cream
- Powdered sugar
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making Waffles from Scratch
Step 1. Preheat the waffle iron
The waffle iron or machine is a small appliance specifically designed to prepare this type of dish. Preheat it to a temperature of 185 ° C, or by setting the knob to level 3 or 4. Prepare the batter while the griddle heats up.
Most waffle irons will beep when it reaches the right temperature
Step 2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat the ingredients to remove the lumps and mix them well.
To make the waffles taste even better and have spicy notes, add ½ teaspoon (1.5g) of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients
Step 3. Mix the wet ingredients
Break one egg at a time into a medium sized bowl. Add milk and oil. Beat the moist ingredients until they are well combined. The eggs should become soft and light.
To make the waffles even more full-bodied, use melted butter instead of oil
Step 4. Add wet ingredients to dry ones
Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones. As you pour them, mix the batter with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Once all the liquid ingredients have been incorporated, mix the batter only slightly.
- Avoid mixing it more than necessary, otherwise gluten can form in the flour and this can make the waffles difficult to chew.
- Don't worry if there are any lumps left in the batter.
Step 5. Cook the waffles
If you are using a griddle without a non-stick coating, spray cooking spray or brush a thin layer of oil on the inside surface. Measure 160-180ml of batter (depending on the instructions given in the soleplate manual) and pour it onto the bottom plate of the machine after heating it.
- Close the lid, secure the safety and cook the waffles for 4-6 minutes.
- Some waffle irons emit a beep when brewing is complete. If yours doesn't ring, cook the waffles until the steam stops coming out of the machine.
Step 6. Remove the waffles
Once the waffles are cooked, unlock the safety and open the lid. Remove the waffles with a rubber spatula or silicone knife, avoiding scratching the plate. Serve them on the plate and serve them hot.
Coat the griddle again with cooking spray and repeat the process with the remaining batter until you finish it or have the desired amount of waffle
Part 2 of 3: Eating Waffles the Traditional Way
Step 1. Garnish the waffle however you like
The waffles can be garnished in a variety of ways, but mostly butter, maple syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream and icing sugar are used. Mix these ingredients as you like to garnish the waffles. Here are some of the more popular variations:
- Spread butter over the hot waffle, then pour maple syrup over it until it runs over the edges of the waffle.
- Sprinkle a handful of sliced strawberries or bananas over the waffle maker, then coat the fruit with a generous splash of whipped cream.
- Garnish the waffle with fresh fruit and sprinkle a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Step 2. Eat the waffle with fork and knife
In many places, waffles are served and eaten with a fork and knife. Stick your fork into a corner of the cake and cut a small piece with the knife. Lift it with your fork and bring it to your mouth. Chew it and swallow it before cutting another one.
- If the syrup leaks as you lift the waffle with a fork, dip the small piece of guafre into the syrup that has fallen on the plate before eating it.
- If the waffle was garnished with fruit and whipped cream, accompany each bite by piercing a piece of fruit and scooping up some cream.
Step 3. Alternatively, try the traditional Belgian tasting method
This method is best for waffles that haven't been garnished with fruit, cream, syrup, or other ingredients that can fall out easily. Leave the waffle plain or top it with powdered sugar. Wrap it with a napkin or piece of wax paper and eat it in small bites.
- In Belgium there are 2 main types of waffles: the Brussels waffle and the Liège waffle. The first is eaten with a fork and knife, while the second is almost always eaten with the hands.
- Liege waffles are sold on the street and, unlike other waffles, are not garnished. In fact, sugar crystals are inserted into the batter, which melt and crystallize during the cooking of the waffles.
Part 3 of 3: Experimenting with Decorations and Trimmings
Step 1. Top the waffle with a cream cheese glaze
Being extremely versatile, the waffles can be garnished as desired, for example with a homemade cream cheese glaze. Just sprinkle it on the waffle instead of the syrup. To prepare it, beat the following ingredients in a bowl:
- 4 tablespoons (60 g) of butter;
- 60 g of spreadable cheese;
- 95 g of powdered sugar;
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of vanilla extract.
Step 2. Try the waffle chicken
Chicken with waffle is a typical American dish that combines a classic sweet breakfast (the waffle) and a salty food (the chicken). The waffle is usually served with butter and syrup, while the chicken is fried and served with 1-2 dips.
When you are served chicken with waffles, you can decide to eat the 2 components of the dish separately, but you can also mix them with each bite
Step 3. Make a waffle sandwich
It is not mandatory to eat them only and exclusively for breakfast. The waffles can be paired with different savory toppings, such as cheese, meat and vegetables. It is in fact possible to prepare a sandwich (for example based on ham and cheese) by filling 2 waffles. How to do? Butter the waffles and make the sandwich using:
- Dijon mustard;
- Thinly sliced ham and turkey or other cold cuts;
- A couple of slices of Emmental or another cheese;
- Red currant jam;
- A sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Step 4. Make a bread pudding using waffles
Bread pudding is a mouth-watering dessert known all over the world. By using waffles instead of bread, you can make a different variant than usual. Since this recipe usually involves using stale bread, you can replicate it by leaving the waffles exposed to the air for 1-2 days without covering them.
To make the bread pudding more like a classic waffle, replace the sugar with maple syrup and use heavy cream instead of milk to make whipped cream
Step 5. Turn it into a pizza
Waffles are an original alternative to the classic pizza dough. You can make a custom waffle pizza with all the toppings you prefer. Just spread the ingredients on a pre-cooked waffle maker and bake it. Here are some of the most suitable gaskets:
- Cheese;
- Tomato sauce;
- Olives;
- Spinach;
- Salami.
Step 6. Stuff the waffles
Filled waffles are an exquisite alternative to the original version. How to prepare them? Instead of using the toppings to decorate the surface of the waffle, use them to fill it. Pour the batter onto the griddle, add the toppings of your choice, close the lid of the machine and cook the waffles. Here are some ingredients to try:
- Peanut butter and jam
- Caramel or chocolate sauce
- Fresh fruit or fruit compote;
- Spreadable cream based on chocolate and hazelnuts.
