Name: Liège Waffle
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Belgium
Ingredients: 400 g plain flour; 7 g yeast; 1 tbsp sugar; 150 ml milk, warm; 2 eggs; 200 g unsalted butter, softened; 1 tsp vanilla extract; salt, pinch; 150 g Belgian pearl sugar

A Liège waffle is a different thing entirely from a Brussels waffle: a rich, buttery yeasted dough studded with pearl sugar that caramelizes into crunchy, sticky pockets as it cooks.

It's dense and sweet enough to need nothing on top, which is why it's sold plain from street carts across Belgium rather than dressed up with toppings.

Part of our 20 best Belgian recipes list.

method

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm milk, and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, then add the yeast mixture, eggs and vanilla, and knead into a smooth, slightly sticky dough, about 8 minutes.

Gradually knead in the softened butter, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic.

Cover and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 1.5 hours, until roughly doubled.

Fold the pearl sugar into the dough until evenly distributed; this is done by hand, gently, to avoid crushing too much sugar.

Divide the dough into balls, roughly 100g each, and let rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron, and cook each ball of dough for 3 to 4 minutes, until deep golden and the sugar has caramelized on the surface, watching closely since the sugar can burn.

Serve warm, as is; Liège waffles need no toppings.

chef's tips

Pearl sugar doesn't melt the way regular sugar does; it holds its shape and just caramelizes at the edges, which is the whole texture this waffle is built around. There's no real substitute.
Keep a close eye on the waffle iron near the end of cooking, since the caramelizing sugar can go from perfect to burnt quickly.