Four Virtues Of An Amazing Waffle
by Mike Bradford
When you think of a great waffle, what comes to mind first? Is it the crispy golden-brown exterior? Is it the deep pockets overflowing with maple syrup? Or is it the sweet and buttery aroma that ultimately transports you back to happy moments around the breakfast table? Whatever it may be, we’re here to help you create amazing waffles that are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bursting with delicious flavor. In their book, The Flavor Bible, authors Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg define flavor as a combination of taste, mouthfeel, aroma, and what they call “The X Factor”. Here we’ll explore the key characteristics that make a waffle truly amazing–whether it be stuffed or conventional, Belgian-style or American-style.
A Crispy Crust
First, let's talk about the crispy exterior of a waffle. A crispy crust is what gives it that satisfying crunch when you first take a bite–aka mouthfeel. Not only is it important for texture, but it’s also important for structure and support. A firm and well-done crust help the waffle maintain its shape, which is especially important when making stuffed waffles. A lack of firmness (or dare we say, crispiness) in the waffle can cause the surface of the waffle to sag inward once plated, or worse, can cause the filling to break through.
Additionally, while the Wonderffle Stuffed Waffle Iron features a Center Pan to help remove the stuffed waffle, a soft exterior could make this difficult. The stuffed waffle could either slip away from the teeth of the Center Pan, or as mentioned above, if the waffle isn’t firm enough, it might not be able to support heavier fillings. This could cause the filling to fall through while the waffle is transferred to a plate.
To avoid these potential issues and to achieve a crispy crust, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- If this is your first time using a Wonderffle Stuffed Waffle Iron, make sure your batter has enough fat content (oil or butter) at about 20–25%.
- If your waffles tend to stick to the waffle grids, try increasing the amount of fat in the batter. If you don’t want to increase the amount oil or butter, you can increase the fat content by using whole-fat milk instead of skim milk, water, or non-dairy milk.
- Although you might think you should grease the waffle iron, oil that’s applied directly to nonstick waffle grids results in a softer crust. If your batter has sufficient fat content your waffles should not stick to the nonstick pan.
- Preheat the waffle iron before adding any batter. This will promote proper browning and lead to a crispy crust. Adding batter too early or before it’s fully preheated on both sides can result in a soft crust.
A Soft Crumb
Achieving the right softness in the crumb can greatly enhance the flavor of your waffles and overall experience. The crumb is the interior of the waffle which, just like the crust, affects the mouthfeel. What we want is a waffle that is light and fluffy, and has a delicate and tender texture with a slight chewiness. Unlike the crispy crust, the inside should be soft and moist with a subtle sweetness (depending on if you’re going the sweet or savory route of course). In the case of stuffed waffles, you might want a more fluffy and airy crumb if you’re adding sweet fillings, and a more dense crumb if you’re stuffing them with meats or other savory ingredients.
Here are a few tips for achieving a soft crumb:
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Regardless of the waffle recipe, avoid mixing to the point where no clumps remain in the batter. Over-mixing will cause the gluten in the flour to develop. While gluten development is great for other baked goods such as sourdough bread, it results in a gummy texture in waffles.
- Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately helps prevent overmixing. Generally, you can mix the two as much as you’d like, just be cautious once combined.
Deep Pockets
The pockets or indentations in waffles are created by the pattern on the waffle iron itself. They can vary in shape and size depending on which type of waffle maker you’re using. American waffles, for example, are often made using smaller waffle irons with shallower pockets, and Belgian waffle irons often have very deep pockets. These pockets not only serve as reservoirs for melted butter, maple syrup, and other toppings, but they also provide a satisfying texture contrast to the crispy exterior and soft crumb. As the feature that most strongly provides that “X Factor”, a waffle cannot be amazing without the prominence of deep pockets.
Delicious Taste
Last but not least, we have taste–the most important aspect of any amazing waffle, regardless of its structure, aroma, and/or color. The taste of a waffle will vary based on the recipe and the ingredients used, but traditionally, waffles can be described as slightly sweet and buttery. Of course, the balance of the two is subject to change depending on what route you go, especially when making stuffed waffles (savory or sweet). Although flavor plays a main role here, the texture of a fluffy crumb, a crispy crust, and deep pockets also add to the overall taste.
Additionally, if you’re looking to elevate your waffles even more, take the time to experiment with different flavor combinations and take note of flavors that are associated with specific seasons and special events. If you need ideas for ingredient pairings that work well together, you can check out resources like The Flavor Bible.
A Word About Plant-Based Cooking
Although some of the tips that we mentioned above assume the use of animal products such as eggs and dairy, we want to reassure you that plant-based cooking can also result in delicious waffles. There are many plant-based substitutes available for eggs, milk, and butter that can be used in waffles, so don’t be afraid to get creative and adapt the tips to suit your dietary preferences!
We hope these tips help you create amazing waffles that are crispy, soft, and bursting with delicious flavors. Happy cooking, and enjoy your Wonderffle-ly creations!