Perfect Homemade Waffles: American, Belgian Liège, and Mochi

Ingredients

• 2 cup all-purpose flour (American waffle)
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar (American waffle)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (American waffle)
• 1 tbsp baking powder (American waffle)
• 0.5 cup buttermilk (American waffle)
• 1 cup whole milk (American waffle)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (American waffle)
• 2 eggs (American waffle)
• 1 egg yolk (American waffle)
• 0.75 cup unsalted butter (Gently melted; American waffle)
• butter (For serving)
• pure maple syrup (For serving)
• 1 cup whole milk (Heated to about 95°F / 35°C; Liège waffle)
• 2 tsp instant yeast (Liège waffle)
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar (Liège waffle)
• 1.5 tsp fine sea salt (The transcript says “fine sugar,” but the surrounding ingredient and technique context indicates fine salt; Liège waffle)
• 2 eggs (Room temperature; Liège waffle)
• 1 egg yolk (Room temperature; Liège waffle)
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter (Gently melted; Liège waffle)
• 3.5 cup all-purpose flour (Liège waffle)
• 1.5 cup pearl sugar (Liège waffle)
• assorted berries (Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, or berries of choice; for serving)
• powdered sugar (Optional dusting)
• 1 egg (Mochi waffle)
• 0.75 cup whole milk (Mochi waffle)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (Gently melted; mochi waffle)
• 0.5 tsp fine sea salt (Mochi waffle)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder (Mochi waffle)
• 0.75 cup granulated sugar (Mochi waffle)
• 1.5 cup mochiko sweet rice flour (Mochi waffle)
• 0.25 cup unsalted butter (For bananas foster)
• 0.75 cup light brown sugar (For bananas foster)
• 3 bananas (Sliced into ½-inch-thick coins)
• ground cinnamon (Light sprinkling)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (For bananas foster)
• 0.25 cup rum (For flambéing the bananas foster)
• salt (Small pinch for bananas foster)
• whipped cream (Optional Chantilly cream topping; slightly sweetened whipped cream)

Steps

1. 1

   For the quick American waffles, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, fine sea salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.

2. 2

   Add the buttermilk, whole milk, vanilla extract, eggs, and egg yolk. Whisk until a batter forms.

3. 3

   Slowly stream in the gently melted unsalted butter while whisking until fully incorporated.

4. 4

   Preheat a waffle iron and spray it with cooking oil. Add enough batter to fill the iron about three-quarters full, close it completely, and flip it almost immediately if the iron is designed to flip.

5. 5

   Cook the waffle for about 2–5 minutes, depending on the size of the iron, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove it carefully and serve with butter and maple syrup.

6. 6

   For the Liège waffles, heat the milk to about 95°F / 35°C. Whisk in the instant yeast and let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.

7. 7

   In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, fine sea salt, room-temperature eggs, and egg yolk.

8. 8

   Stream the gently melted butter into the egg mixture while whisking until combined.

9. 9

   Place the flour in a large bowl and make a small well in the center. Add the yeasted milk and egg mixture.

10. 10

    Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms, then knead for about 5 minutes, using a few slap-and-fold motions, until smooth. The dough will remain sticky.

11. 11

    Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

12. 12

    Punch the gas out of the risen dough. Add the pearl sugar and knead until it is evenly dispersed and no pearl sugar remains in the bowl.

13. 13

    Divide the dough into 6–12 pieces, depending on the size of the waffle maker. Cover the pieces with greased plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes.

14. 14

    Heat the waffle iron and spray it with cooking spray. Add enough dough to fill about three-quarters of the iron, close it firmly, and cook for about 20 seconds. Flip if possible, then continue cooking until deeply caramelized and golden brown.

15. 15

    Carefully remove the Liège waffle and serve it with assorted berries. Optionally dust it lightly with powdered sugar.

16. 16

    For the mochi waffles, whisk the egg in a large bowl. While whisking constantly, stream in the milk, then whisk in the gently melted butter.

17. 17

    Whisk in the fine sea salt, baking powder, and granulated sugar until the mixture is combined and creamy.

18. 18

    Add the mochiko sweet rice flour and whisk until a thick, almost paste-like batter forms. Transfer the batter to a piping bag and set it aside.

19. 19

    To make the bananas foster, melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to distribute it.

20. 20

    As soon as the butter-sugar mixture melts and begins to simmer, add the banana coins. Keep them evenly separated and cook for about 1 minute, or until caramelized underneath.

21. 21

    Flip each banana slice individually. Add a small pinch of salt, a light sprinkling of cinnamon, the vanilla extract, and the rum.

22. 22

    Increase the heat to medium-high. When the liquid begins to simmer, ignite it with a kitchen torch while standing back. Shake the pan continuously as the sauce emulsifies into a glaze coating the bananas.

23. 23

    When the flame goes out, turn off the heat. The rum caramel bananas foster is ready.

24. 24

    Heat the waffle iron and pipe in enough mochi batter to fill it. Close the iron and cook until a pale, cloud-like waffle forms and is cooked through.

25. 25

    Serve the mochi waffle with optional Chantilly cream, a generous portion of bananas foster, and a drizzle of the rum salted caramel sauce from the pan.

Notes

The transcript says the mochi waffle recipe makes about four waffles and recommends doubling it for more than four. The recipe does not provide exact mochi-waffle cooking time or a precise amount of waffle batter per iron. Use caution when igniting the rum: stand back and keep flammable materials away. The source originally intended an ube variation but did not make it because ube was unavailable.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• dessert
• waffles
• American
• Belgian
• mochi
• yeast-risen
• flambéed