Waffles Quest, Part II

My brother and I have graduated from making the plain ol'waffles topped with fruit/whipped cream/syrup combo to the Gaufres de Liege. We attempted the supposedly epitome of all Belgian waffles (according to him) that are made from pearl sugar and yeast. He consulted me on the recipe he found that was supposedly adapted from Mr. Crepe, another establishment of Ingrid Heyrman and Peter Creyf, the duo behind my brother's favorite Waffle Haus. He took over the whole process, with a minor mishap of an additional tablespoon of flour and sugar. I don't think it had a major impact on the outcome, but I have come to the conclusion that I like the plain ol'waffles better - I wasn't crazy about the aroma of the yeast batter in a waffle...I associate it more with bread than waffle.

Making Gaufres de Liege is an intricate process. It took longer than regular waffles because you need to allot time for the dough to rise and rest. On top of that, to make it authentic, you have to get your hands on Belgian pearl sugar that isn't available in your local supermarket. My brother was crazy enough to purchase boxes of it on the internet when you can actually substitute it with crushed pieces of sugar cubes. The pearl sugar plays a major part in the waffles because it caramelizes in the waffle iron to create a crunchy exterior. It may create random dark brown spots on the waffle, but that's the signature of Gaufres de Liege.


If I have neglected to mention this before, 1 waffle per person is plenty because they are quite rich in taste. This applies for regular waffles as well.

According to my brother, our attempt on the Gaufres de Liege wasn't bad - the authentic ones he had at Waffle Haus in VT had a crispier exterior and a lighter texture. He will definitely continue his quest to make the best Gaufre de Liege, but I'm not sure I'll be with him every step of the way.