Classic Belgian Waffles of old world richness with eggs, milk, butter, yeast and a bit of patience!
Course Breakfast
Cuisine European
Keyword Classic Belgian Yeast Waffles
Prep Time 40 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Resting time 1 dayday
Total Time 1 dayday1 hourhour
Servings 10servings
Equipment
Belgian Waffle Machine
3 Mixing bowls
Hand mixer or stand
Ingredients
1 1/3cups Warm water
2tspInstant yeast
3cupsAll purpose flour
1tbspCinnamonor cardamom
1/4tspSalt
3Egg yolkslarge eggs
4Egg whites
1/3cupSugar
1 1/2 cupsWhole milk
8tbspMelted butterunsalted butter
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl mix the flour, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
In a second bowl, a medium bowl, place the yeast, a pinch of sugar from the measured sugar and 1/3 cup of warm water. Set aside to proof for 10 minutes.
In a third bowl place the egg whites and whip until soft peaks form. Set aside.
With a whisk attachment on a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk the sugar into the yeast mixture. Whisk in the egg yolks, remaining water, milk and melted butter. Whisk until the egg-milk mixture is pale yellow.
With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently whisk in the whipped egg whites. Cover the batter and allow to set out room temperature for an hour, or place in the fridge until the next day.
When ready to make the waffles, take the waffle batter out of the fridge for 30 minutes, while getting the Belgian waffle iron hot, according to manufacturer's instructions.
Once the Belgian waffle maker is hot, if it requires non-stick cooking spray, spray a light mist now. Many are non-stick so check with the instructions of your machine. Place enough batter to quickly coat the bottom of the waffle grid, about 1/3 cup, then close the machine to cook the waffle, about a minute or as indicated by the machine you have. Sometimes the first waffle is the tester waffle, but the rest will go quickly.
If serving right away, keep in a warm 200 degrees oven until all the waffles are cooked. If serving at another time, set each waffle on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely to maintain the crispy texture, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. When ready to serve, place on a baking sheet and warm in a 250 degree oven until waffles are warm.
Video
Notes
Waffles, once cooked, can be be saved in an airtight freezer-safe container, thawed and reheated for another time.