Belgian Liege Waffles Recipe - Make Delicious Liege Style Waffles at Home (2024)

FAQs

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

Belgian waffles start with a yeasted batter, require a leavening agent and tend to include more butter, milk and sugar. If you try to make the Liege style, larger sugar granules are added for more crunch. Traditional or American waffles often substitute yeast with baking powder and do not sit overnight.

Do I need a special waffle iron to make Liege waffles? 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).

The ideal moderate cooking temperature for these waffles is 355-360°F (179-182°C). If the waffle iron's temperature is higher than 360°F (180°C), the pearl sugar will caramelize too quickly and end up burned and bitter by the time the waffle is finished cooking.

The Liege waffle is small with rounded edges, whereas the Brussels waffle is larger, and has a rectangular shape. Moreover, the Liege one is thicker and contains little clumps of sugar, whereas the Brussels one is lighter and is sprinkled with icing sugar.

A Liège waffle is filled with unevenly distributed clusters of caramelized pearl sugar, which gives a slightly bitter contrast with the buttery waffle dough. It's a convenient snack, easily eaten at any time of day (a good one loses nothing when cold).

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.

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. Keep in mind that the time it takes to make Belgian waffles may vary depending on serving size.

You can store the container with the waffles in it on the countertop if you intend to use it the same day, otherwise, store them in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Once the customer orders the waffle, place the parbaked waffle back into the iron and reheat for the remaining 1 ½ minutes at 365°F.

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....

Here are some other ways to keep the sogginess at bay: Place your waffles on a cooling rack in a low-heat oven (don't stack the waffles on top of each other). Throw your waffles in a toaster to refresh their crispiness. Make sure your waffle iron is very hot.

How do you make waffles taste better? ›

The secret ingredient in Belgian waffles is the pearl sugar, which gives the waffles a unique texture and slight, satisfying crunch. Belgian waffles are also fantastically light, which adds to their perfection. Fun bonus fact: traditional Belgian waffles are usually eaten with your hands, not a fork and knife.

Break 'liege waffles' down into sounds: [LEE] + [AYZH WOF] + [UHLZ] - say it out loud and exaggerate the sounds until you can consistently produce them. Record yourself saying 'liege waffles' in full sentences, then watch yourself and listen.

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.

We have two types of waffles in Belgium: the Liege waffle and the Brussels waffle. And you should know that the difference is very important for all true waffle lovers. They are both yeast waffles, but that is really where the similarities end.