Overnight Belgian Waffles

BLOGGER:  TONY

This recipe is a testament to what just a little bit of work and a little bit of forethought can do for anyone in the kitchen.  Too often we are seduced by the ease of convenience foods at the expense of quality.  Frozen waffles seem all to easy to simply pop in the toaster for a quick and easy breakfast.  Yet, they are tasteless, soggy affairs with absolutely no character.  This recipe, on the other hand, creates light, crispy, and flavorful waffles.  They are almost breathtakingly good.  All it takes is a Belgian style waffle iron, a little bit of work the night before, and the patience to cook your own waffles the morning of.  Trust me, it’s worth the effort.  Here’s the recipe:

Overnight Belgian Waffles, from this recipe at Creative Kitchen Online

1/2 C lukewarm (105°F) water

1 T granulated sugar

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 yeast packet)

2 C whole milk, warmed (about 105°F)

1/2 C unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp salt

2 C all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking soda

The night before, or at least 8 hours before baking, combine the warm water, granulated sugar, and yeast.  Let stand 10 minutes, until foamy.  Stir in the warm milk, melted butter, and salt.  Beat in the flour until smooth (this may be done using a hand mixer on low speed).  Wrap bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand overnight (or for 8 hours) on the countertop – do not refrigerate.

When ready to bake, preheat your waffle maker on your preferred setting.  While the waffle maker is heating, stir the eggs, vanilla extract, and baking soda into the batter.  Measure out enough batter for your waffle maker and pour into the preheated waffle maker.  Use a heat-proof spatula to spread the batter evenly over the grids.  Close lid and bake the Belgian waffle in the waffle maker until it indicates the waffle is done.  Remove waffle and repeat until the desired number of Belgian waffles has been made.  Cover remaining batter and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Waffles may be kept warm in an oven at low-heat (200°F).  Place Belgian waffles on an oven rack in the warm oven.  Serve with whipped cream, fruit, jam, powdered sugar, or a warm fruit syrup.

The result is a slightly tangy and crispy waffle that beats the pants off just about any other waffle I’ve ever had.  It’s a little tangy because of the yeast and the overnight resting period-think of sourdough bread.  A few tips:  1)  You can melt the butter in the milk while heating that up.  This method saves a dish and makes it easy to melt the butter.  2)  Make sure to cook your waffles long enough.  Crispiness is key to the success of the dish, so if you open the waffle maker and the waffle doesn’t seem crispy enough, let it cook some more.  3)  Unlike most quick breads (e.g. muffins), you really can’t overmix these waffles.  So feel free to stir to your heart’s content.  The overnight resting of the dough will create gluten anyway, no matter how little you stir.  Enjoy!