Waffle types

There are so many types of waffles, those incredibles pieces of heaven that we get the chance to eat, some of them are – Swiss – thin and crispy, Grilled – filled with fruit or chocolate baked in toaster, with beer – thin and soft, Flemish: with yeast and egg whites, sometimes with cognac, German: with spices mixed with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, American with baking powder. They are usually served at breakfast, with grated chocolate, with cheese: with a little cheese placed in the middle of the dough, with bacon: with a thin slice of bacon, laid on a dough before the waffle closes (am I the only one getting hungry here?); Fruit: Rectangular, full of fruits (pineapple, apricot, cherry, apple plum); Bordeaux: flavored with orange, lemon or rum, Binche: milk and yeast; Dunkerque waffles: round waffles roasted without butter. , Hong Kong – with butter, peanut butter and sugar, then folded in two, Lille – small waffles filled with butter and brown sugar; Dutch (stroopwafel or “Waffle Gouda”) round and sprinkled with caramel syrup; Soft – only from fermented flour; Russian – stuffed waffles; Scandinavian heart-shaped – sweet or salty, ground-from almonds, sugar, egg white, flour, Kniepertie: rolled up and consumed at the end of the year in the provinces of Drenthe, Groningen and Gelderland; Krumkake: thinly rolled wafers traditional Christmas, Mestier: made of wheat flour with a little salt, and submerged in white wine, Pizelle: Italian with a very thin crust, eaten mainly on Easter and Christmas; Potato waffles: potato-based; Spekdik: made from rye flour, eggs, bacon and dry salami, frankfurters – eating New Year’s Eve in the eastern part of Friesland… uhhh I will right back, I need to stuff my face with a waffle.

So, speaking of waffles from Brussels, we can not define a specific recipe for these waffles. Each region has a culinary specialty with its own recipe. Although the main ingredients (flour, milk, sugar, and eggs) remain the same, very often the waffle-making families have secret ingredients that are passed on from one generation to another. But to summarize, there are two main types of waffles – the Brussels and Liege waffle.

The Brussels waffle is thick, soft in rectangular shape – with 20 pieces of buns. It is sprinkled with powdered sugar, chocolate, cream and fruit. A baking powder is used in North America, but yeast is used in Brussels. The yeast in combination with shattered egg whites leads to the greater thickness, lightness and depth of the cells. The yeast changes the chemical dough composition, and the fermentation gives this type of waffles with a sharp taste.

You may not use yeast, but only a larger amount of shredded protein to “pour” air into the dough, but then the waffles have a “sponge” flavor and are not so airy.

The Liege waffle is sweeter, thinner and caramelized than the pearl sugar inside it, crispy and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. The shape is a square with cropped edges. Liege is the eastern province of Belgium, on the border with Germany. Gaufre de Liège, Luikse waffle in the Flemish regions and Lutticher waffel in the German regions are oval, thinner and smaller than the Brussels Waffles. Ligean waffles are usually eaten without a garnish and sometimes even cold.

Did you know that in the 18th century the chief chef of the prince-bishop of Liege had the task of creating a different dessert for the prince?. He  adapted the recipe from the French Brioche, and he put on a pearl sugar – which was caramelized during baking. Surprisingly, the prince liked this type of waffle. And not just him but everybody! These waffles, also known as Horseshoes are the most common type of waffles in Belgium. They are available in 3 different flavors – plain, vanilla, and cinnamon, so thank you chef!