Belgian Salted Waffles with Sugar (Liège Waffles)

Method

1. Hydrate the yeast: Warm the milk to about 45°C (about 30-40 seconds in the microwave). Make sure it is not too hot so it doesn't kill the yeast. Add the yeast and stir.
2. Combine the butter, sugar, salt & eggs: In a large bowl whisk the butter, sugar, salt and eggs.
3. Add the milk/yeast: Add the milk with the yeast.
4. Add the flour: Add the flour.
5. Knead: Knead by hand for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
6. Ferment: Place the dough in a clean bowl, spray with oil, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled — 30 minutes with fresh yeast and about 1-2 hours with dry yeast.
7. Punching: Deflate the air from the dough by pressing it down in the center and bringing the edges of the dough over the top.
8. Add the pearl sugar: Roll the dough out lightly on a lightly floured work surface and add the pearl sugar. Knead the pearl sugar into the dough until evenly distributed. Alternatively, you can knead the sugar into the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
9. Divide and rest the dough: Divide the dough into 12 balls and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 10 minutes while the waffle iron heats up.
10. Cook the waffles: Bake in the waffle iron until the sugar caramelizes. Always spray with oil before adding the waffle. Place the dough in the center of the waffle iron. Cook until golden brown.
11. Make ahead: You can keep the waffles warm in a 200 F (95 C) oven. Uneaten waffles can be stored in the freezer in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Rewarm in a 250 F (120 C) oven until warmed through.

Detailed steps

Step 1: Hydrate the yeast. Warm the milk to about 110 F (43 F) and mix the yeast into the milk. I like to use quick-rise yeast because it works so quickly, but active dry yeast can also be used.

Step 2: Mix the butter, sugar, salt, and eggs. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter, sugar, and salt. Add one egg at a time and mix to combine.

Step 3: Add the flour. Add the flour into the mixing bowl and stir with a spoon or a spatula until a shaggy dough forms.

Step 4: Knead the dough. You can knead this dough by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook. Knead until a smooth and elastic dough forms, about 8 minutes by hand or 6 minutes at medium/high speed in the stand mixer. You may need to add a little more flour, but the dough will become less sticky as it is kneaded.

Step 5: Ferment the dough. Move the dough to a clean bowl and lightly spray it with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature until double in size. This will take about 30-45 minutes if you used quick-rise yeast and an hour+ if you used active dry yeast.

Step 5: Deflate the dough. Firmly press in the center of the risen dough. Bring the sides of the dough into the middle to deflate the air.

Step 6: Knead in the pearl sugar. Press the dough out on a work surface and add the pearl sugar. Knead the pearl sugar into the dough until evenly distributed. Alternatively, you can knead it in a stand mixer. Note: If you do not have pearl sugar on hand, you can follow my tutorial to make your own pearl sugar using just sugar cubes!

Step 7: Divide and rest the dough. Split the dough evenly into twelve pieces and place a piece of plastic wrap over them to rest for 10 minutes. This is a good time to heat up your waffle iron.

Step 8: Cook the waffles. These waffles can be cooked in a Belgian style waffle iron with deep pockets or a standard waffle iron. I have this Cuisinart waffle iron and they still get very puffy in it. The key to cooking these waffles is to find the setting on your waffle iron that is hot enough to caramelize the sugar but not so hot that it will burn the sugar. This is going to be different on every waffle iron. My suggestion is to start at a low heat and gradually increase the temperature until you find the setting that caramelizes the sugar. The first few likely won't caramelize, but they will still be delicious!

Tips, Tricks, & Techniques

• Be very cautious to start the waffle iron at a low temp until you find the setting that will caramelize. Cleaning burned sugar from the waffle iron is extremely difficult.
• These waffles can be made ahead and stored in the freezer in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. To refresh, heat in a 250F (120 C) oven or toaster oven until warmed through.
• Top these Liège waffles with any number of toppings. My favorite is a simple sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar but real whipped cream, nutella, or fresh berries would all be delicious as well!

Notes (from the author)

• Salt: I would add a little more, to get closer to the original with a slightly salty center and a sweet crust.
• Flour: at least 100 g more, added by eye until the dough becomes elastic.