Waffles are a great way to say I love you. There is something about the warmth, the color and the texture of homemade waffles that is beyond compare.
We make them pretty often in our home, especially on weekends but they still maintain an allure that gets everyone in the house gathered around waiting in anticipation.
Maybe it's the steam coming off the waffle iron that is so mesmerizing. I don't know. What I do know is that if you make a plate of waffles smothered in butter and maple syrup for that special someone in your life, they will definitely appreciate it .
In a little saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Melt the butter in the milk. Remove from the heat. Cool the liquid completely.
In a bowl, combine the flour, fleur de sel, baking powder and baking soda. Sift all the dry ingredients.
In two bowls, seperate the yolks fromt the egg whites. In one bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of sugar using a hand mixer until it's thick and has a pale yellow color. Add the cinnamon extract and the orange blossom water. Slowly add in 3 times the flour, the milk, butter and other dry ingredients using a spatula.
Wash thoroughly the hand mixer, then whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the rest of the sugar. Pour 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture then gently stir everything to soften the batter. Pour the rest of the egg whites and gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolks to get an airy batter. Add the Belgian pearl sugar.
Pour about 1/2 cup of waffle batter into the center of the waffle maker. Do not overfill otherwise it will spill. Bake the waffle for about 4 minutes. Cut the waffle in 4 wedges.
Serve warm with Nutella or maple syrup. You can also dust a little powdered sugar, top a little creme fraiche, Belgian pearl sugar and fresh strawberries.
Belgian pearl sugar is available in specialy stores and online. I love using it when I make waffles. Belgian Pearl sugar is a coarse sugar that has a less sweet flavor than regular sugar. The thick lump of sugar keeps its shape and does not melt when it's baked.I also use the sugar for making rugelach.
I like adding a little orange blossom water to the waffle batter to bring a nice aroma.
The secret to a light waffle is the beaten egg whites and the melted butter in milk. Be very careful when folding the egg whites into the batter.
You can stack the remaining waffles and place little squares of parchment paper in between each waffle. Place all the waffles in a zip-top bag, then freeze them. You can store them up to 3 months in your freezer. Simply defrost them by toasting the waffles.
I use the regular round shape waffle maker. I'm not a big fan of the flip version. It gets messy and the result is quite the same.
If you want to serve all the waffles at once, you can keep them in an 170°F oven to prevent them from going soggy.
UPDATE: If you'd like to make traditional Belgian waffles, just substitute the baking powder and baking soda with 2 teaspoons of dry yeast or 15 grams (1/2 oz) of fresh yeast. Dissolve the yeast with a some warm milk and sugar.
Published By: Jacqueline Pham on May 15, 2009.
I make pancakes every Sunday and they get the same reaction, everyone waiting at the table together.
Belgian waffles without yeast!? I think not, sir!
Ha! you got me. I did not know they had to be made with yeast but according to Wikipedia, they have a tangier taste because of the fermentation. I'll try and make some this weekend. Thanks for catching that.
Mmm, you're so right: waffles are a perfect way to say "I love you." In fact, I could go for some waffles and ice cream right now. Mmmm.
Thanks for the recipe! I am a big fan of doing things from scratch and I can't wait to make waffle now. With lots of Nutella on it, too!
Thanks for this post, Jacqueline. Could you recommend a store in SF that sells Belgian pearl sugar?
I spent the weekend in San Francisco. You can find Belgian pearl sugar at the Ferry Building Marketplace, at Sur La Table. They also carry Swedish pearl sugar which is much more finer.
Please, confirm 3 cups milk?