Homemade Liege Waffles Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes a Liege waffle different? ›

Liège waffles are truly unique in the sense that they are made with a brioche dough rather than batter. The chewy goodness found on the inside is complemented by the crunchy exterior created from the caramelized pearl sugar that allows you to eat it with your hands as it was intended back in the Middle Ages.

Liege waffles are thicker than traditional waffles, due to the dough expanding during the cooking proccess. We recommend baking with a waffle iron that has deep pockets (0.7 in to 1 in).

Bake Them in the Oven for That Crisp Finish

You probably already know the trick to keep your waffles warm by placing them in a 200°F oven until you're ready to eat. But if you set your oven a little higher, to 300°F, this trick will crisp waffles even further in addition to keeping them nice and warm.

Like most dough-based sweets, these Liege waffles are the best when freshly made. However, they will keep good for a day or two in an airtight container at room temperature. You can reheat them using a microwave or an oven, but it's possible you'll lose some of their signature crunch.

If you can't find pearl sugar, other decorative sugars such as sanding sugar, sparkling sugar, or any other coarse-grained sugar will work just as well. Other decorative sprinkles, such as nonpareils, sequins, jimmies and edible glitter are also good alternatives.

For commercial, HVD, AMPI and Krampouz make irons with the most authentic Liege pattern plates. Luxinox (VH Corporation), Sodir/Equipex and Carnival King are not quite as authentic because the gap shape in between the knuckles is more V shaped than it should be, but it's close enough to be usable.

If you don't have a Belgian waffle maker, you can use a regular waffle maker. It likely won't create the larger, thicker, deeper grooves, but you may still end up with fluffier waffles.

Ideally, you should bake directly the dough you have just prepared. However, if you still want to store some of the production, this is possible. Before fermentation, place the dough pieces in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0 to 2°C (maximum 24 hours).

Recommended overnight or 2 hr resting – for the tastiest waffles, rest the batter overnight in the fridge or for at least 2 hours. This makes the flour grains absorb the liquid so it makes the inside of the waffles softer.

What is the difference between Liège waffles and Belgian waffles? ›

Through the decades, Belgium's waffle styles diversified, resulting in two distinct groups – the crunchier, bread-like Liege waffle and a softer, lighter Brussels variety made with a yeast-leavened batter. Today, the Liege waffle incorporates crystals of pearl sugar for more crunch and caramelization on the outside.

Street vendors just wrap them in wax paper and happy customers eat them as a treat any time of day. Think of them as more like a pastry. Eventhough purists like their Liège waffles plain, we're in the United States so we love our toppings like strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, ice cream, etc....

Legend has it that the Liège waffle was invented when the Prince-Bishop of Liège, a city in the Belgian region of Wallonia, asked his cook to create a pastry made with lots of sugar. The Prince-Bishop's sweet tooth paid off for the rest of us, because Liege waffles have become a mainstay of Belgian cuisine.

Belgian waffles are usually thicker than their American counterparts. These Belgian beauties are made with a recipe that includes yeasted batter and crunchy pearl sugar. Belgian waffles have extra-deep pockets—the better for filling with butter, jam, maple syrup, or whipped cream.

The ingredients for both regular waffles and Belgian waffles are similar and include flour, milk, eggs, and butter or oil. However, Belgian waffles use egg whites to give a fluffier texture. Additionally, Belgian waffles have yeast in their recipe while regular waffles use baking powder.

Belgian waffles taste more soft and crispy, while waffles in the Netherlands are made from a heavier batter with a chewy and sticky texture. Another prominent difference lies in the shapes used by Belgian and Dutch styles. The former is in the shape of rectangle and the latter is round.