How To Make the Lightest, Crispiest Waffles

source: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-the-lightest-crispiest-waffles-230519?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=managed&utm_content=video

Fluffy, buttery interiors and crispy, crunchy exteriors are the hallmarks of a good waffle — a vehicle worthy of the finest maple syrup indeed. However, making waffles that actually end up that way is another story. Not with this recipe!

Here, we're harnessing the power of whipped egg whites to give waffles that coveted airy crunchy and adding one must-have ingredient that really sets pancakes and waffles apart.

(Image credit: Quentin Bacon)

The Keys to Great Waffles

Let's think of a good waffle as a treasure that needs to be unlocked. A crispy, buttery, ever-so-light treasure that you can cover in maple syrup. Before we dive into those keys, let's get the pancake talk out of the way. You can't use pancake batter and expect a great waffle. Pancakes are designed to be (mostly) flat. When cooked, they develop just a pinch of pouf and they definitely don't have a crispy outside.

Waffle and pancake batters are cousins, really, but in order for waffles to do their thing, they have a few different requirements. Get them down, and soon you'll fine the waffle iron has earned a permanent place on the countertop.

An Extra Dash of Sugar Make All The Difference

On the whole, waffles tend to be just a touch sweeter than pancakes. While you'll find sugar in both batters, the extra bit added to waffles serves a function beyond flavor: it helps create a caramelized exterior, aid in the browning, and is a booster for crispness. Thanks, sugar!

The Double-Acting Power of Whipped Egg Whites

Whipped eggs whites do two things in a good waffle: they give them a crisp exterior, and the air beaten in from whipping creates that coveted fluffy inside with lovely teeny-weeny air pockets.

In this recipe, the egg whites are whipped until soft-peak stage, and then folded into the batter very gently to hold onto as much air as possible. If you can still see streaks of egg whites in the batter, you know you've done it just right!

Want to See It Done? A Visual Guide to Whipping Egg Whites

A Hot Waffle Iron Prevents Soggy Waffles

Waffle-making is, at its essence, a type of baking. After all, you are putting batter into a hot environment and waiting for it brown and rise. Waffle-making is also a little like frying — hot surface, generous amounts of fat, irresistible outcome. It's no wonder the world's gone wild for "waffling."

To ensure we're taking advantage of waffle-making as this baking-cum-frying process, you've got to preheat the iron. You wouldn't make a cake in an oven that wasn't preheated, nor would you fry an egg in cold oil. Getting the waffle iron nice and hot means the batter will crisp up as soon as it hits the surface. Don't want a soggy, floppy waffle? Preheat your waffle iron and don't forget to add a little fat.

More Uses for Your Waffle Iron: 8 Surprising Things You Can Make in a Waffle Iron

(Image credit: Quentin Bacon)

Customize Your Waffle

Chopped nuts and dried fruits, chocolate chips, and crumbled candy or cooked bacon make great add-ins. After you place the batter on the waffle iron, sprinkle a few nuggets of whatever goodness you'd like on the waffle press and cook. Real fruit or vegetables can be the trickiest because they add moisture to the batter, which can make it mushy. Using a whole berry or fruit with a skin works best, but you are still likely to end up with some very squishy sections of waffle.

In you want to go fully savory, leave out the vanilla, double the salt, and fold in a handful of your favorite chopped herbs and shredded cheese.

Lightest, Crispiest Waffles: Watch the Video

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Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

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