How to Make Perfect Waffles
It may seem hard to make the perfect waffle, crispy and brownish on the outside and damp, airy and fluffy inside, but here are some tips to help you make the best waffles every time.
The fat in the batter is the key to prevent waffles from sticking. How much oil or butter you put in your batter will determine whether or not your waffles will stick to your waffle maker. If your waffles usually stick to the waffle maker, try adding more oil or butter to the batter.
Make sure to separate the egg whites from the yolks. If you’re aiming for a light and soft waffle, make sure you separate the eggs. First add the beaten yolks to the wet ingredients of your batter. Then, whip the egg whites until they are stiff. Make sure you fold the eggs whites gently into the batter using a spatula, to prevent the egg whites from flattening. Don’t mix the batter too vigorously. Waffle batter can be tricky. It should be runny enough to flow easily through the shapes of the waffle plate, but it should never be over-mixed (over-mixing develops gluten which produces a chewier, not-so-fluffy waffle). Being patient is key. Use a spatula (or a spoon, if you don’t have one) to mix the wet ingredients of your batter into the dry ingredients and be as gentle as possible. Being delicate and patient will deliver great results.
Many waffle recipes list buttermilk as an ingredient. However, having buttermilk at home is not very common. Don’t worry! Regular milk can always be use to replace buttermilk and it won’t have any negative effects in the texture of the waffle. If you just love that tangy taste that buttermilk adds, you “make” buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk. The acid in the vinegar or lemon juice will make the milk curdle. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and you’ll have buttermilk for your waffles.
Once the batter starts to cook in the waffle maker, it’s important to avoid lifting the lid too soon. As a general rule, make sure you wait until the indicator light in your waffle maker says it’s ok. If your appliance doesn’t have an indicator light, watch the steam. When the steam stops coming out, your waffles are done. There is no limit to the amount of waffles you can do. However, if you made too many waffles and won’t eat them at that moment, you can freeze them. Put them in a freezer bag after they’ve cooled with wax paper between each waffle and force air out of the bag. When you want to eat them, take the waffles you want out of the freezer and let them defrost for 10 minutes. Then, warm the waffles in your oven or toaster for a few minutes.
Make sure you clean your waffle maker soon after it’s cooled, it’ll be easier! However, always follow the instructions that came with your waffle maker. Different waffle makers may have specific instructions for cleaning, and for cooking, too. For instance, if you bought your waffle maker sometime in the last five years, you probably shouldn’t use cooking spray on it.
