Belgian Waffles
These Belgian waffles, made in under 20 minutes, are the perfect brunch dish! You can make them ahead of time and put them in the oven to keep them warm, leaving you free to enjoy your company rather than spending all of your time working the waffle iron! Why I like this recipe Brunch is my favorite meal of the week! I especially love these Belgian waffles! There’s a whole stick of butter in there, which makes the outside nice and crispy, while maintaining the perfect chew on the inside. The deep grooves are great for holding all of your favorite toppings. These can easily be made ahead of time and put in the oven to keep warm, leaving you free to spend time with your guests. Artzy Foodie Tip: Put your cooked waffles on a rack, on a baking sheet, in the oven at 200 degrees to keep them warm. How are Belgian waffles different from regular waffles Belgian waffles are different from regular waffles because they are made with a leavening agent, or egg whites and baking powder as in this recipe, to make the batter lighter and more fluffy. They have a crispy outside and they are chewy on the inside. Belgian waffles are thicker and larger in size than regular waffles, and they have deeper pockets for holding more toppings. For this recipe, you will need to use a Belgian waffle maker, which has a deeper larger grid pattern than a regular waffle iron. How to make belgian waffles To begin, separate two eggs. In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolks and 2 cups buttermilk. Mix in 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt. Then, stir in 1 stick of melted butter. Artzy Foodie Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, add 2 Tbsp vinegar to a measuring bowl, fill up to the 2 cup mark with milk, and let sit for 10-15 minutes. In a separate bowl, with a mixer, whip the egg whites into soft peaks. To form soft peaks, whip the egg whites until they barely hold their shape. Next, fold the egg whites in to the batter. Heat up your waffle iron and use some cooking spray before adding the batter to make sure your waffles don’t stick. A good rule of thumb is to use about 1/4 cup of the batter for each of the four quadrants, or 1 cup total for each waffle. If your waffle iron doesn’t tell you when they are ready, time them for about 3 minutes, or until there is no more steam coming from the waffle maker. Toppings We like to top our Belgian waffles with mascarpone cheese, pecans, and maple syrup. If you haven’t tried mascarpone cheese on your waffles, you are missing out! Mascarpone cheese is similar to cream cheese, but it has a milder flavor and is more velvety and creamy in texture. Other suggestions for toppings include: fresh fruit whipped cream chocolate chips chocolate syrup butter peanutbutter cinnamon nutmeg If you like this brunch recipe that allows you to spend time with your guests, rather than your waffle iron or cooktop, you might also like my breakfast casserole recipe! Be sure to subscribe to Artzy Foodie to get all the latest tasty goodness straight to your inbox! And, we would love for you to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram! This is no ordinary waffle recipe! These Belgian waffles are light and fluffy, with a crispy exterior, a chewy center, and deep pockets to hold all of your favorite toppings!