Belgian Liège Waffles with Pearl Sugar

Traditional Liege Waffle are moist buttery waffles with a sweet vanilla flavor and pieces of crunchy caramelized sugar - pearl Belgian sugar - melted all over the waffle. It is a very comforting Belgian recipe for dessert that you can serve with any sweet topping of your choice.

Course: french | Cuisine: French | Servings: 16 liege waffles | Calories: 191 kcal | Author: Carine Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 20 mins

Method

1. In a small mixing bowl, place the dried instant yeast with 2 tablespoon of lukewarm water. Stir. Set aside until it forms a yeast paste - about 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer using the dough hook, combine the flour, lukewarm whole milk, instant dried yeast, eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla essence and salt. Knead until well combined.
3. Add the diced butter at room temperature and knead again until the butter is well incorporated.
4. Transfer the waffle dough into a slightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and a towel on top to keep everything dark and warm. Let raise at room temperature for about 1 hour or until it double in size.
5. After it raises, punch the dough down with your hand to remove the air/gas. Add the pearl sugar or sugar cubes pieces, and knead the dough again with your hands to incorporate.
6. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and roll into balls. Store each ball on a tray covered with parchment paper to avoid them to stick.
7. Warm a waffle iron, grease the waffle iron with butter or vegetable oil and place the ball of dough on the grid. Cook following your waffle iron instructions. Mine required about 3-4 minutes cooking time to be ready. You know it is cooked when it is golden and crispy on the outside but still moist in the center with melted pieces of sugar.
8. Transfer each cooked waffle on a rack to cool down slightly before serving lukewarm or cold. Repeat for the next liege waffles until all cooked.
9. Add any sweet topping you like on top like jam, icing sugar, a drizzle of melted chocolate, caramel sauce, ice cream and more!

Recipe Notes Storage: Store very well in a metallic box or wrapped in foil for up to 3-4 days. They will get moist when cold but in North of France that is how we eat them. We sometime rewarm them in a toaster for few minutes or in a sandwich press wrapped into parchment paper. Lukewarm milk: simply microwave milk on high for 20-30 seconds or warm in a saucepan. Think bath temperature not hot - about 35 C (95F).

Alternate version from the same source page — Liège Waffles (Steps to Make It) Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sugar (light brown)
• 1/2 cup water (lukewarm, or for richer flavor substitute scalded milk)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons yeast (active dry)
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of butter (melted)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar (pearl)

Steps to Make It:

1. Whisk the brown sugar and yeast with the water and let stand for about 5 minutes, until it is nice and foamy.
2. Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add in the yeast mixture until the dough is sort of dampened and shaggy looking. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Whisk the vanilla in the butter and add to the batter gradually. Mix for about 1 minute or until smooth. It will be very sticky and have a thick, but not a stiff texture. Cover and let rise for about one hour.
3. Right before you are ready to cook the waffles, mix in the pearl sugar. If you add it too early it will dissolve and will not create that crispy coating.
4. Using two spoons, pull off about 2 tablespoons worth of batter and place onto a preheated waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Place on a cookie cooling rack over a sheet pan. Keep warm in a preheated 250 F oven.
5. Drizzle with chocolate sauce if you're feeling saucy and serve warm.