Brussels Waffles (Belgian Waffles)
The classic Belgian waffle: a yeasted batter lightened with whipped egg whites, baked in a deep-grid iron until crisp outside and airy within.
Method
Melt the butter in a small 14 cm pan over low heat for , then take it off the heat and stir in the milk. It should feel lukewarm on your finger, about 35 °C; any hotter and it will kill the yeast, so let it cool if needed.
Add in this stepButter 50 gMilk 200 ml
low heatSeparate the eggs, putting the whites in a clean, grease-free bowl. Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the yolks and vanilla. Pour in the butter-milk gradually, whisking from the centre outwards, until you have a smooth, lump-free batter slightly thinner than pancake batter.
Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 125 gInstant dried yeast 4 gSugar 10 gSalt 1 pinchEggs 1Vanilla extract ½ tsp
Whisk the egg whites for , until they hold firm peaks when you lift the whisk. Fold them into the batter in two additions with a spatula, lifting from the bottom of the bowl, and stop as soon as there are almost no white streaks. Stirring hard knocks out the air and makes heavy waffles.
Cover the bowl with cling film or a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for . It is ready when it has grown to 1.5 to 2 times its size and the surface is full of bubbles.
Preheat the waffle iron on its highest setting and brush the plates lightly with oil. Ladle in enough batter to fill the grid, spread it to the edges, close the lid and bake for per batch. They are done when the steam has almost stopped and the outside is deep golden. Total batches: 2. Keep your face away from the hot steam. Keep finished waffles warm on a rack in a 100 °C oven.
Add in this stepNeutral oil (for the iron) 1 tsp
Never stack the waffles on a plate; leave them on a rack for 1 minute so the underside stays crisp. Dust with icing sugar through a fine sieve and serve warm, plain or with whipped cream and strawberries.
Add in this stepIcing (powdered) sugar 2 tbsp
Cook's tip
A deep-grid rectangular Belgian (Brussels) iron gives the authentic result, but a standard waffle maker works too. Treat the first waffle as a test of heat and batter quantity; if batter oozes out, use a little less next time.
Cooking it at camp
With power at the pitch, bring the waffle maker; otherwise use a cast-iron stovetop waffle iron on the burner, preheating each side for 1 to 2 minutes and turning it once during baking. Mix the batter at home and keep it in a sealed tub in the cooler: it rises slowly in the cold and is ready to bake the next morning.