OMG. Sugar coated waffles. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Also known as, Liege. Have you ever had one of these babies? They are the most delicious waffles you will ever eat in your entire life. Even their smell is intoxicating. Sometimes you can find them in Waffle Cabins on ski slopes. (Mt. Snow has two of these said cabins!) Or you can go to Belgium. Or you can make them at home, which is definitely the cheapest and easiest option.
All you need to make that crispy sugar coating is pearl sugar. It’s basically just big chunks of sugar that kind of look like rough pearls. I ordered mine on Amazon, but specialty baking stores and sometimes Whole Foods have them. Or you can just cut up sugar cubes. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will work. When the big pearls of sugar melt inside the waffle they create this amazing coating that is unlike anything. They are definitely best eaten hot. Don’t try to bag them up because the crispy coating will get soggy. The recipe is below, followed by a few more helpful pictures!!!
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of lukewarm water (or for richer flavor substitute scalded milk)
- 1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup of butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup pearl sugar
- Whisk the brown sugar and yeast with the water and let stand for about five minutes, until it is nice and foamy.
- Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add in the yeast mixture until the dough is sort of dampened and shaggy looking. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Whisk the vanilla with the butter and add to the batter gradually. Mix for about 1 minute or until smooth. It will be very sticky and have a thick, but not stiff texture. Cover and let rise for about one hour.
- Right before you are ready to cook the waffles, mix in the pearl sugar. If you add it too early it will dissolve and will not create that crispy coating.
- Using two spoons, pull off about two tablespoons worth of batter and place onto a preheated waffle iron. cook until golden brown. Place on a cookie cooling rack over a sheet pan. Keep warm in a preheating 250 degree oven.
- Drizzle with chocolate sauce if you're feeling saucy. EAT THEM!
I portioned out the batter onto parchment paper so I could get it onto the iron quickly. I don’t think it really saved me that much time though. Here’s what it looks like to grab the batter with two spoons. You don’t want to use your hands because the batter is a bit too sticky. It should not be stiff though. You shouldn’t be able to roll it into balls.
I'm a country girl at heart. I tried living in the city and it just didn't work. Welcome to my ramblings as a teacher and wife. 
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