Sunday, July 15, 2012

The Awful Waffle and Liege Waffles - With Recipes


We have really been into waffles lately.  This yummy concoction comes 
from a little hole in the wall place called
The Awful Waffle.



Don't let that name fool you, the Awful Waffle just on the south end
of BYU campus in Provo, Utah is unbelievable.  

This waffle is not only beautiful, it is tasty. This one is their regular waffle (with a 
slight amount of cinnamon in it) served with
a cream cheese frosting type topping and fresh raspberries.  Hubby created
this one (the waffles come for about $2.50 without toppings and 
you create your own by adding toppings - $.85 for all of those
luscious ripe raspberries and another $.85 for the topping.)



I chose their Liege waffle with nutella and strawberries.  I have to say
that hubby beat me out by a mile.  The combination of the cream
cheese topping and the raspberries was out of this world.

I love all of the little whole in the wall places that serve great
food around a university campus and this qualifies as one of them.


Then my friend Katie talked me into going to Salt Lake City to try
her favorite waffle stand - Bruges Waffles.


They specialize in Liege waffles (pronounced - lee-age - with  a
soft g and the accent on the age.) 
Definitely another hole in the wall, but more upscale.


We were so anxious to try them that this was the only picture I got
of three different kinds.  This one was filled with dark 
Belgian chocolate.

Liege waffles can be eaten plain or Bruges serves them with other options.
We also had a plain one and one with fresh strawberries and vanilla bean 
ice cream.  I think that was the favorite because it went first!

 I told Katie that I had a recipe
for Liege waffles that I have made and loved that was given to
me by my friend Paula.  Paula and her husband Craig had invited
us over for Liege waffles after they had spent time in Belgium.

The secret to Liege waffles, besides being a yeast waffle is that you
have little surprise pearls of sugar 
inside the warm moist waffles that
are melted where they meet up with the waffle iron but
still crunchy on the inside.  

We left the Bruges restaurant and went around the corner to 
Sur La Table to buy the sugar pearls, because that was where I had
bought them before, but they no longer sell them 
  Too bad because online they are double
the price I had paid.

You can buy them online (the imported Lars brand)
if you don't have a place you can buy them. 

I had some in my food storage, so I gave Katie
a box so she could try making her favorite waffle at home. 
 If you don't want to use pearl sugar you can crush sugar cubes, 
but I prefer the pearl sugar's texture (but maybe with the
price increase, I will go back to sugar cubes once I use
up the few boxes I have left.

The Lars box has a recipe on the back but I haven't tried it. 
The Liege Waffles I have made come from a recipe my
friend Paula gave me.

Sugar Waffles from Liege
(The recipe was a photocopy and appears to be from
a book entitled Waffles, Pancakes and Breads.)

Batter 1:
1 T. instant yeast
1/4 C. warm water
1 C. all purpose flour
1 T. granulated sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 C. milk, warmed to 100 degrees F

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with 1 T. 
of the flour and sugar.  Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.  
Place the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and add the yeast
mixture.  Mix well until smooth.  Cover and let rise until doubled.

Meanwhile prepare Batter 2.

Batter 2:
9 T. unsalted butter at room temperature
6 T. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional) We made ours without.
pinch of salt
1 T. granulated sugar
1/2 C. pearl sugar or 3/4 C. crushed sugar cubes

In a medium bowl mix the butter, flour, salt, vanilla,baking
powder, cinnamon (if using), granulated sugar and pearl sugar into a paste.

With your hands work Batter 2 into Batter 1 until well mixed.
Shape the dough into 10 balls.  Flatten each ball and dust lightly with
flour.  

Heat your Belgian waffle iron to medium hot.  Don't let it
become too hot or the sugar will burn.  Bake until the waffles are
golden brown but still slightly soft, 3-4 minutes.  Serve them warm.

Definitely worth trying.  They are so yummy with the taste
of yeast and sugar and the crunch of the sugar pearls.  Be
careful if you eat them hot out of the oven as the sugar can
burn you.

Lars Belgian Sugar Waffles
(taken from the back of their box - this obviously makes more.)
3 1/2 C. flour
1 packet dry yeast
3/4 C. lukewarm milk
8 oz. softened butter (2 sticks)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
cinnamon (optional) (no amount given)
1- 8 oz. bag Lar's Own Belgian Pearl Sugar

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk.  Gradually add all
ingredients to the flour except the pearl sugar.  Let the
dough rise until it doubles in size (about 30 minutes).
Add Belgian Pearl Sugar.  Divide dough into small
patties about 3 to 4 oz. each.  Baked in heated and
greased waffle iron.

I am not a breakfast person, but I LOVE
breakfast foods.  Try these any time of day.  We love
breakfast for dinner too.




13 comments:

  1. In just six short weeks I'll actually be IN Liege, and eating waffles on the street. I'll try to remember to post about them. In the meantime, those that you've found in the two little restaurants look amazing!

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  2. We love to eat waffles, pancakes, and French toast around here. I've never tried Liege Sugar Waffles, but now that I have these recipes they will be on the menu soon. Thanks, Jacqueline!

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  3. I totally love waffles and your Liege Sugar waffles look terrific!! I also adore French toast and of course, the classic pancakes. Everytime I come over to your posts I leave so hungry for the great things you share and I don't know how you keep yourself looking great Jacqueline! Thanks pretty lady for your sweet visit, I love it when you come by.
    FABBY

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  4. OMGoodness, Jacqueline, these waffles sound out-of-this- world!!! I would love to give this recipe a try. The raspberry one with the cream cheese is one I want.

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  5. I love breakfast foods for dinner. We just had omlets the other night:) The waffles sound fabulous. XO, Pinky

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  6. Oh my, I love a good waffle and the one with the chocolate is making my mouth water. The Awful Waffle...how funny.

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  7. OK, Great, you just did it. I read your blog and now I am making waffles....just waiting till they are cooked.....

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  8. Hello Jacqueline
    Now these are waffles! Sure beats the Eggos from the supermarket. Our youngest daughter and family are in Belgium where her DH is from and they have been enjoying waffles, and as a matter of fact keep telling me how much they're enjoying them. :-)
    Judith

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  9. You're making me craving for some waffles now. I love the one with strawberries and nutella on top! What a delectable combo!

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  10. Waffles are my favorite treat when we go out to breakfast. These ones look and sound Amazing!!! I really need to make them more often. I can't wait to try your recipes. Sometimes we have breakfast for dinner. This would be a special addition to our breakfast night!

    My mouth is watering! : )

    Danielle xo

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  11. You made me very hungry, J!
    I know what I want for breakfast!

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  12. Thanks for introducing the girls and I to the Awful Waffle -- they were amazing! The raspberry and cream cheese is the kind of thing that food dreams are made of. What a fun mini-girls day out we had! Times like these make me not want to move! Joni

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  13. Amazing waffles! I'll definitely will try to go there. Thanks!

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