Liège Waffles
Updated May 8, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour preparation, plus time for proofing and refrigeration
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup (120 milliliters) nonfat milk
- 2tablespoons (25 grams) brown sugar
- 2¼teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
- 2large eggs
- 1tablespoon (15 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 3⅔cups (460 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1teaspoon (6 grams) coarse or kosher salt
- 7tablespoons (100 grams) butter, softened
- 1cup pearl sugar, or make your own (see note)
Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)
219 calories; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 150 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Combine the milk and ¼ cup (60 milliliters) water in a small saucepan and heat until lukewarm, 110 to 116 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer milk mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add brown sugar and yeast and stir to combine; set aside 5 minutes. (The yeast should look foamy. If it doesn’t foam, discard and try again with different yeast.)
- Step 2
Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Using the dough hook attachment on your mixer, stir in all but 1 cup of the flour. Mix in salt. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition and scraping down the bowl before adding the next. Add the remaining 1 cup flour and mix on low speed, stopping once or twice to pull the dough off the hook, about 5 minutes, or until the dough is glossy, pulls away from the side of the bowl and has gathered in a ball on the hook.
- Step 3
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 2 hours. The dough will double in size. Stir the puffed dough with a spoon to deflate, then re-cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
- Step 4
Remove dough from refrigerator and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in the pearl sugar (or your homemade version) a little at a time. The dough will be stiff but will become more pliable as it warms. Cut dough into 16 equal pieces with a bench scraper or chef’s knife and return to the refrigerator.
- Step 5
Heat your waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Working with 1 or 2 balls of dough at a time (leave the rest in the refrigerator), arrange on the waffle iron and cook until golden brown all over, 2 to 5 minutes depending on your iron. Use tongs to transfer waffles to a baking sheet or cooling rack. Some of the sugar will melt out of the waffles and collect in your iron, adding an extra layer of glossy molten sugar to each waffle as you continue. Serve waffles warm.
- To make your own pearl sugar, combine 1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) water in a large saucepan and stir so the sugar clumps into small bits. Cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. The sugar should dry out but not caramelize. Pour the sugar onto a plate and let cool. Break up any large clumps with your fingers and sift through to collect 1 cup pea-size clumps, leaving smaller sugar granules behind. (Making the pearl sugar this way will produce more than required for the waffles, but the only way to get enough large clumps is to start with more sugar than you need.)
Private Notes
Comments
Spent four years in Belgium and another ten years perfecting the waffle recipe. Try the one on the pearl sugar package. It works. You will make them again. There is not enough butter in the NYT recipe. Wish I could add a photo.
All you haters are nuts. These taste correct. I lived in Belgium for 3 years when I was a kid and ate a lot of gaufres so I know what they are supposed to taste like. It's true that the overnight rise is probably not needed. I'll try the Lars recipe too but it is not very different from this recipe.
I ALMOST didn’t make this after I read all of the notes. But I’m so glad I stuck with it. Sure it takes a little time but it was worth it! The waffles were so soft and chewy and the pockets of molten sugar were incredible. Someone made a comment about them tasting like bread— they probably overcooked them. If you take them out of the waffle maker at the right time they stay fluffy and chewy and PERFECT! Stick with it guys, you can do it!
After kneading it into balls, let the dough sit out at room temperature for 2 hours before placing them on the waffle iron. I tried to refrigerate overnight and make it in the morning and it wasn't the right texture. It really needs time to rise again slightly. Granulated sugar works but it's not going to produce the same even results as Pearl sugar. The small sugar pieces won't make contact as well with the iron.
This is the real waffle ! And it is not a breakfast dish, but a dessert, a snack, something you would eat when you wanted something sweet and delicious. I'll never forget the pleasure I felt when I walked into my grandmother's kitchen and I could smell fresh waffles ! They were everywhere, cooling on clays, before being stored into tin boxes where they can be kept for several days, or even weeks. Real Liège waffles are much bigger than your picture, about the size of a hand. Come to Liège !
To speed up the rising process, place a wet paper towel over the bowl, and place bowl in the oven on the lowest setting. It will usually rise to double size in about 20-30 minutes. Really glad to have an overnight recipe for these now too!
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