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Belgian Waffles

Source of Recipe

From "Big Bad Breakfast" by John Currence


Recipe Introduction

"I will not lie, waffles didn't play a huge part in our lives when I was growing up. And it wasn't for lack of equipment: we had a hulking, brittle plastic and tarnished metal 'waffle bot' capable of producing said foodstuff, but using it fell within my dad's realm of responsibility. My brother and I loved waffles and the process of them being made, but for some reason our dad dug his heels in like a man on his way to the electric chair whenever we set our minds to waffles. Apparently the waffle bot was a gigantic pain in the ass to clean, so like many of the noisemaking things of our childhood toy collections, the waffle bot inexplicably disappeared one day. That just meant I became even more determined to order waffles every time we went out for breakfast or brunch. The experience, from the crispy edges to the little syrup-holding indentations naturally built into the waffle, was the stuff of dreams. I never once hesitated over whether or not to order a waffle, and if I had the chance to do it again, I'd make the same freaking choice every time. The origin of this recipe is the Joy of Cooking; however, I've tweaked it over and over. The thing that remains from the original is that I use whipped egg whites to leaven the waffle, making for an airy, crispy product, unlike its bicarbonate of soda-leavened counterpart. Take the time, do the work, and enjoy the fruits of your toil."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 eggs, separated
â—¦ 2 pinches of cream of tartar
â—¦ 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ ¼ cup granulated sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 ½ cups whole milk
â—¦ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
â—¦ Softened butter, whipped cream, syrup, confectioners' sugar, sliced strawberries, or whatever garnish you prefer


Recipe

Preheat the waffle maker. Preheat the oven to 175° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar to stiff peaks, being careful not to overwhip. It will take about 1 ½ minutes to whip until the whites just hold stiff peaks and are nice and matte looking. If they start to glisten, they will ultimately break down, go watery, and not rise very well. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt and set aside. In a third bowl, whisk together the milk, yolks, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk together until the batter is well combined. Gently fold in the whites until fully incorporated.

Spoon the batter ¾ cup at a time into the waffle iron (the batter expands dramatically, so be careful not to overfill the waffle iron or you will have a little bit of a mess). Cook until browned on both sides (the cooking time will vary based on your iron; check after three minutes and cook another minute or two if needed).

Eat the waffle the very second you remove it from the iron. If you must, transfer the waffle to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook more for your friends. Top with softened butter, whipped cream, syrup, confectioners' sugar, or fruit and serve immediately.

Makes 3 to 4 waffles