Liège Waffles (with Pearl Sugar)
The Liège waffle is one of Belgium's most famous desserts, especially popular in Wallonia. It's named after the city of Liège, where the yeasted, rich dough, mixed with pearl sugar, was developed in the 18th century, causing the waffle to caramelize slightly on the outside. This type of waffle is much denser and sweeter than the classic Belgian waffle. As the waffle iron closes and the dough begins to bake, the pearl sugar gently melts and caramelizes, giving the pastry a crispy crust. The aroma is unparalleled: sweet, buttery, and slightly caramel-like – a true street treat. Tip: if you don't have pearl sugar, you can use coarsely crushed sugar cubes, but for the original experience, it's worth obtaining real Belgian pearl sugar. The waffle is best served fresh, but it retains its texture even when reheated – it can also be frozen!
Ingredients for this recipe
Shopping List (0) ▼
Shopping List (
Preparation Steps
1
Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk, add a teaspoon of sugar, stir, and let it stand for 10 minutes, until foamy. This indicates that the yeast is active.
2
In a bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and the proofed yeast mixture. Mix until you have a smooth, sticky dough.
3
Gradually add the softened butter, a little at a time, while continuing to mix. In the end, you should have a shiny, elastic, but still slightly sticky dough. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
4
Once the dough has risen, gently knead in the pearl sugar by hand. Distribute it quickly so it's evenly spread throughout, but don't over-knead, otherwise the sugar will melt before baking.
5
Preheat your waffle iron, but do not grease it. Spoon a portion of the dough onto the hot iron and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and the pearl sugar is slightly caramelized around the edges.
6
Let the finished waffles cool on a wire rack for a few minutes to remain crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are best served fresh, plain or with chocolate sauce – but the traditional version with pearl sugar is perfect on its own.
