Liège Waffles
Belgian sugar waffles made with a brioche-style yeasted dough and pearl sugar that caramelizes against the hot iron. Dense, sweet, and meant to be eaten by hand. Makes 12 waffles
Ingredients
Dough
- 120 g whole milk lukewarm (around 95°F / 35°C)
- 60 g water lukewarm
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 30 g light brown sugar packed
- 20 g honey or more brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 440 g all-purpose flour around 11% protein
- 1 tsp salt
- 170 g salted butter room temperature, cubed (1 1/2 sticks)
Folded Through After the First Rise
- 200 g Belgian pearl sugar the larger, irregular kind used for Liège waffles
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Warm the milk and water together to lukewarm (around 95°F / 35°C). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the milk, water, yeast, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, eggs, flour, and salt. Mix on low until a thick, sticky dough forms, then continue mixing on low for 5 minutes to start developing the gluten.
- With the mixer running on medium speed, add the softened butter a few cubes at a time. Don't add the next piece until the previous one has been fully worked in. Continue kneading on medium for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly from the sides of the bowl. The dough should pass the windowpane test.
First Rise
- Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, and cover. Let rise at warm room temperature until the dough has grown by about 50%, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours. It doesn't need to double.
Fold in the Pearl Sugar
- Sprinkle the pearl sugar over the risen dough. Fold it through, either in the bowl with a spatula or by tipping the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and using letter folds (fold in thirds, sprinkle more sugar, fold again). Don't overwork it, the sugar chunks should stay intact. Don't add the sugar to the mixer or the dough hook will crush the chunks.
Shape and Rest
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 90 g each) and shape each into a rough ball or circle. They don't need to be perfect. Place on a parchment-lined tray, cover loosely, and let rest for about 30 minutes while you preheat the waffle iron.
Bake the Waffles
- Preheat a Belgian waffle iron until fully hot. Grease it, then place one dough ball in each pocket and close the iron. Bake for 3 -3 1/2 minutes until deep golden brown and the sugar is caramelized around the edges. Watch the color rather than the timer. Every iron runs differently.
- Use a fork or wooden skewer to gently lift the waffles out of the iron. Place on a wire rack to cool for a minute before eating. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Notes
Both US customary and metric measurements are provided. Use the toggle to switch between the two.
Belgian pearl sugar is essential. The larger, irregular chunks caramelize against the iron while staying crystalline in the center, giving the signature crunch. Don't confuse it with smaller Nordic pearl sugar (used on chouquettes), which is too small for this. If you can't find Belgian pearl sugar, crushed sugar cubes are the closest substitute.
Fold the pearl sugar in by hand or spatula after the first rise, not in the mixer. The dough hook will crush the chunks and you'll lose the signature crunchy texture.
If the butter starts melting out during kneading, pop the whole mixing bowl into the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes and then continue kneading. Enriched doughs can warm up during long mixing, and the butter starts separating out rather than emulsifying in. Cold dough fixes this.
Optional overnight cold ferment: for deeper flavor, mix the dough and let it rise for 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature, then cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let the dough come back to workable temperature (30 to 60 minutes at room temperature) before folding in the pearl sugar. Cold dough is harder to fold pearl sugar into cleanly.
A quick fridge chill can also help with shaping if the dough feels too warm and soft. 15 minutes in the fridge firms it up enough to handle.
Honey is traditional in the most authoritative Belgian Liège waffle recipes, but you can substitute with an equal amount (20 g) of extra brown sugar if you prefer.
Waffle iron: A Belgian waffle iron with deep pockets is essential. Make sure it's well preheated before pressing the first dough ball, the pearl sugar needs hot contact with the iron to caramelize properly.
Storing: Liège waffles are best eaten within minutes of coming off the iron. They keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a waffle iron on low heat for a minute or two to bring back some of the crispness, or briefly in a toaster. Freeze for up to 2 months and reheat from frozen in a toaster or hot waffle iron.
Nutrition
Serving: 1waffleCalories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 303mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 415IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!