Liège waffles

Getting a waffle maker has been oh-so-much-fun; it's definitely brought my weekend breakfast/brunch game up a notch!  As you might know from my posts, I've tried out quite a few waffle recipes so far but the possibilities seem endless.  This time, let's talk about a very different type of waffle, the liège waffle. 

Belgium is one of those fantasy places I'd love to visit.  There's the chocolate, of course, and then there are the waffles!  From what I've read, there are two types of waffles in Belgium: Brussels style, that's a deep-pocketed yeast leavened batter waffle, and liège waffles, which is also a yeast batter but different in that it's richer, sweeter, and denser.  Liège waffles are essentially made with brioche dough that's embedded and studded with chunks of pearl sugar.  

As this sugar-crusted dough cooks in the waffle maker, the pearl sugar melts and caramelizes to create a glossy sheen and a slightly crunchy exterior that gives way to rich, buttery, stringy brioche softness within.  Once you eat it, you'll remember it.

For whatever reason - possibly because it's not as easy to find just anywhere - I've always wanted to make liège waffles.  In fact, I bought special Belgian pearl sugar (more on this later...) just for the job even before I got my waffle maker!  It never hurts to be prepared.

Liège waffles are so rich and flavorful (think warm, eggy, buttery brioche with extra pockets of sweetness) that you don't really need anything to go with them.  But sometimes it's not just about need.  I plated some of mine with fresh strawberries, a little chocolate sauce, and threw in a little whipped cream (all of which I had in my refrigerator, though maybe not quite incidentally) and it made for an excellent brunch plate.

However you choose to enjoy it it, it is a special waffle to savor on occasion.  You know...I never considered myself a huge fan of brioche, in part because it wasn't a type of bread I ate much growing up, but I am definitely awakening to the beauty of it.  It is surely something special in waffle form!


Belgian pearl sugar.  These are the large chunks of sugar used for liège waffles (don't confuse them with the smaller grained Swedish pearl sugar - the ones used on chouquettes).  I think it's pretty important to get your hands on this if you're going to the effort of making liège waffles.  If you really do need to DIY it, one viable suggestion I've heard from David Lebovitz is to chop up some sugar cubes.

Not surprisingly, I made half the recipe.  Aside from it being a more manageable amount for my family, I remember how jarring it can be to make brioche dough (the stand mixer tends to rock) and I thought a smaller quantity might be a safer bet for me.  It was very manageable.

Making brioche dough requires just a little patience.  Butter needs to be worked in, bit by bit, so you end up with a nice stretchy dough.  Since we're working with yeast, the dough needs time to rise - first for about 2 hours and then overnight.  So plan ahead and start a day early.  

When you're ready to make the waffles, add the pearl sugar and knead it into the dough.  It will look like a lot of sugar but that's how it's intended to be.  Then, divide the dough into small rounds to cook individually.  I get 8 with half a recipe.

I was a little concerned about the process of cooking these waffles and wondering if they might burn on my waffle maker.  There's no temperature gauge on my waffle maker and I'd read that you shouldn't cook these above 370 degrees, or the sugar will burn.  I set my waffle maker on the "3" setting (about medium in terms of how dark I want them to turn out) and had no problems.  Cleanup just took a little patience and warm water. I don't have removable plates so cleaning isn't quite so convenient but it wasn't a major issue beyond requiring a bit more work. 

It was really nice to see my mini pile of glossy liège waffles.  They smell amazing and taste so rich, buttery, and sweet.  It's absolutely tender and soft in the center - a real treat!

These waffles are great dressed up and eaten with fruit and chocolate sauce (of course) but you know how I like them best of all?  I love just eating them by hand, ripping it apart, and tasting it on its own in between sips of hot coffee.

I'm ready for brunch!

Recipe:

Liège Waffles
From Smitten Kitchen

- Makes 16 waffles, about 4" wide (I successfully divided the recipe in half) - 

1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
2 tablespoons brown sugar, raw sugar, or honey (I used brown sugar)
1 packet (7g or 2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 2/3 cups (460g) all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
14 tablespoons (200g or 7 oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cup Belgian pearl sugar (such as this one)

Make dough: Warm milk and water to about 110 to 116 degrees (I used the microwave), and place it into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add sugar and yeast, stirring to combine.  Let sit for 5 minutes; the mixture should look foamy.

Whisk in the eggs and vanilla, then stir in all but 1 cup of the flour (it does not have to be exact) using the dough hook of the stand mixer.  Add salt and mix to combine. With the dough hook running, add butter, a spoonful (or about a tablespoon) at a time, thoroughly incorporating each addition and scraping the bowl as needed until all the butter has been mixed in.  It's important to be patient with this step so that you're rewarded with a stretchy, layered dough.  Add the remaining flour and knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes, or until glossy.

Let dough rise (twice):  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (I transferred the dough to a clean bowl) and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours.  The dough should approximately double.  Stir with a spoon or spatula to deflate the dough, re-cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight or up to 24 hours.  (You can also do this process in the reverse, first chilling it in the refrigerator overnight, then taking it out 60 minutes before deflating the dough and letting it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.)

Cook the waffles: Right before cooking, knead in the pearl sugar.  It will look like a lot.  Divide dough into 16 mounds.  If it's hot and the dough feels greasy, keep the dough in the refrigerator as you cook in batches.

Heat waffle maker (I used a Belgian waffle maker, set on "3" or medium browning). When waffle maker is ready, place a ball of dough into each pocket and cook according to manufacturers' instructions.  It should take about 5 minutes and be golden brown when done.  Very carefully (we're talking molten hot sugar) remove the waffle with a fork or tongs and set on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack.  Keep waffles warm in a 200 degree oven before servings.  Waffles need to be served warm! Otherwise, the sugar hardens and it will not be the soft, sweet, and tender waffle they are meant to be.

Reheating frozen waffles: If you freeze any leftovers, place frozen waffles on a wire rack-lined baking sheet and reheat them in a 275 degree oven for approximately 8 minutes, or until warmed through.  Once fully heated through, serve immediately or keep them in a 200 degree oven to stay warm.