This Is Where The Taste Of Waffles Comes From
Nothing makes waking up as exciting as when you know you have a plate of waffles waiting for you. While we have all become familiar with this iconic morning staple, you might never guess that the "Belgian waffle" only made its American debut as recently as 1964. According to HuffPost, the Vermersch family brought the waffle to the United States during the World's Fair, and despite the food originating in Brussels, the family revamped the name in order to sound more appealing. Everyone can instantly imagine the taste of a waffle, but have you ever wondered where this flavor actually comes from?
According to Insider, a classic Belgian waffle gets its flavor from the way a chef prepares the batter and how a waffle gets cooked. To really distinguish a waffle's taste from a pancake, chefs add more butter and baking powder into waffle batter. It also gets mixed with less air, helping set the texture (via Insider). While the batter plays a major role in shaping the taste of this breakfast delicacy, the cooking method really defines the taste of a waffle. Instead of getting cooked on a flat service, waffle batter gets poured and pressed in a heated mold — creating a crispy, caramelized exterior that tastes like nothing else.
If you can't get enough of Belgian waffles, wait until you get a taste of a Liege waffle. According to The Food Charlatan, these hearty waffles get their texture and taste from a yeasted brioche dough and come studded with pearl sugar.
Where does the taste of Liege waffles come from?
If you love brioche, but never tried a Liege waffle, you don't know what you're missing! Compared to the traditional Belgian waffle, a Liege waffle has a slightly bitter taste due to the uneven spread of caramelized pearl sugar clumps (via Taste).
The popularity of this style of waffle easily eclipses regular waffles in Brussels, thanks to the distinct brioche flavor that gets imparted from the addition of yeast, enriched dough, and fresh vanilla pods (via Taste). When you have a waffle this decadent from the get-go, you don't even need to eat it with toppings — the caramelized sugar pearls provide the right amount of crunch and sweet-bitter bite to make the perfect treat.
If you can't get enough of waffles and want to start making them at home, knowing how to develop their essential flavor can really take your breakfast to the next level. Remembering the extra butter and baking soda that make the batter distinct from pancake batter and getting the perfect levels of caramelization can really make these breakfast items shine. With practice, anyone can whip up a batch of these outstanding items that can make any mouth happy.