Belgian waffles
- Published: 23 Jan 23
- Updated: 25 Mar 24
Learn how to make perfectly golden Belgian waffles with this traditional recipe from Belgian food writer, Regula Ysewijn. The secret ingredient? Beer…
Recipe taken from Dark Rye and Honey Cake: Festival baking from the heart of the Low Countries by Regula Ysewijn (Murdoch Books, £26) and tested by delicious.
In the mood for something savoury? Try Regula’s buckwheat pancakes filled with Gouda.
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Makes about 7 -
Hands-on time 20 min, plus 6 hours resting
Nutrition
- Calories
- 439kcals
- Fat
- 22.7g (13.5g saturated)
- Protein
- 4.7g
- Carbohydrates
- 52.8g (25.4g sugars)
- Fibre
- 1.4g
- Salt
- Trace
delicious. tips
“I found this recipe in a 16th-century handwritten cookery manuscript from Ghent. The beer gives an interesting flavour note to the waffle. We can’t say exactly what 16th-century beer tasted like, but in that period there were two kinds of beer in the region of Ghent: small beer and stronger ‘double’ beer. They were flavoured with a mixture of herbs (called gruit), but spices were also added if people could get hold of them.
Historical recipes can be incredibly vague and omit essential ingredients, but this one was remarkably detailed for its time. It gives a clue about the consistency of the dough/batter, saying a spoon should remain upright in it, and advises starting half a day before you plan to bake. The historical recipe makes about 42 large waffles, but as they’re best eaten fresh I’ve reduced the quantities. Feel free to double or multiply by six if you need to.” Regula Ysewijn