Liège Waffles

                                              Mini Liège waffle dipped in melted chocolate

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Liège waffle: brioche based waffle with pearl sugar, rumoured to have been invented during the 18th century by the chef to the Prince-Bishop of Liège.  

Haven't had a burger in anything but a brioche bun in the last decade? This waffle is for you and all your brioche loving friends. Belgium has many varieties of waffles but today is the "Liège", brioche dough cooked in a waffle maker with pearl sugar. 

Antonin Carême. 1784-1833 

Early versions of what is now the Liège waffle were a brioche base with crushed block sugar on top as a garnish; then a nod to Antonin Carême, the famous Parisian chef has several waffle recipes with crushed/pearl sugar. However, a full recipe for the gaufre de liège (liège waffle) wasn't published until quite late in 1921.

For today's recipe you will need pearl sugar. 

Pearl Sugar a beet sugar compressed into uneven nuggets. 

Pearl sugar is paired most frequently with brioche, like these mini loaves I baked previously. The pearl sugar even though it has been baked keeps it's shape. 

Baking along with a talented group of bakers that are a part of ABC (Avid Baker's Challenge), this month was the 'Liège Waffles' from Smitten Kitten. 

The ingredients and changes I made to this months recipe in bold.... 

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, whole is ideal (replaced whole milk with water, milk, particularly whole milk makes dough heavier) 
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
2 tablespoons raw sugar, brown sugar or honey (used golden syrup to build to the caramel/burnt sugar flavour, in Australia our tablespoons are larger so I used 1 1/2 tablespoons) 
1 packet (7 grams or 2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast ( I used instant yeast same weight, in changing yeast the method also changed) 
2 large eggs, ideally at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 2/3 cups (460 grams) all-purpose flour, divided (plain flour for Australians)
1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt (I used Maldon) 
14 tablespoons (200 grams or 7 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups pearl sugar (cut the sugar amount, scooped out a half a cup of pearl sugar and sprinkled on top of scoops of the dough rather than incorporating into the dough)

flour mixture with golden syrup and water

The method I had to change because of using instant yeast. All the flour and instant yeast were whisked together, then the salt whisked through, water and golden syrup added. Popped the bowl onto the kitchen aid and using the dough hook and speed 2 until I had a rough dough.

rough dough

Eggs were added in, then well softened  butter added a spoonful at a time  still using the dough hook until incorporated. Well softened butter means the butter holds it's shape but if you touch it ever so lightly it will smear . Seven minutes mixing on 2 and it's all done. 

not as silky as typical brioche dough, it's firm. 

I should have cut down the flour measurement somewhat, not keen on the tight texture. More fluid or less flour would have been good to improve the hydration in dough. There is a couple of rises at this stage. For the full original recipe and method see Smitten Kitten.  

You'll need to have your waffle iron ready and pre heated, stove top or electric, the deeper Belgian waffle makers are the perfect choice but recipe will work in standard waffle makers too. Mine is the 'Cuisinart 4 Slice Belgium Waffle Maker'.

Here is a scoop of waffle mixture... literally just used a dessert spoon and scooped spoonfuls of room temperature brioche dough onto oiled waffle maker. My shapes weren't really the traditional oval, more of a plump round oval (there is so such a thing!!) shape. They took 4 minutes on setting 2 to cook. 

Why oiled when it's non stick? Always oil your non stick cookware if the recipe contains a high sugar content or low fat mixture like sponge. Using the pearl sugar with oiled waffle plates meant clean up was a breeze. I made 28 waffles all up in this sizing.

Youtube clip from 'The Hostel Girl' blog she is in europe talking and eating waffles. 

Liège waffles are a street food, food truck food, something you would grab at a market as you were walking around. Usually eaten plain they can also be plated with a chocolate sauce. They are meant to be eaten warm and immediately, you may wish to half recipe. They don't keep well and you will have to reheat in microwave and wrapped in oven to freshen them. Brioche does freeze well, but because of the sugar topping you will get sugar weeping/stickiness on defrosting. 

Lets have a look inside... yep, it's brioche, fluffy plus crisp and crunchy due to the pearl sugar and waffle iron. The pearl sugar topping has almost totally smashed and melted. They are more substantial than a standard waffle, they are enriched bread and are not meant for giant stacks with lots of toppings. Although you could if you wanted to, maybe you like brioche and whipped cream and chocolate and cherries on top.  

Mine were served with cups of melted chocolate and strawberries for dipping, great with coffee but would be fabulous with champagne for a celebratory brunch. Do you make a wickedly good hot chocolate? Hot chocolate to sip on or dip the waffles in would be great too. Spice with the traditional cinnamon, or try a dash of cardamom or saffron to spice things up. Consider serving with berries to provide an acid component to clean palate and don't be afraid to keep a bit of your favorite enriched dough aside when baking and try it out in your waffle maker. 

Happy Baking :) 

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Walnut Fougasse: Rose's Bread Bible Bakers

                                              walnut fougasse 

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Not only have I mucked up the order of baking, the walnut fougasse is supposed to be the bake for March, I've used the wrong flour. I used strong (bread flour) when it was plain (all purpose) that was called for. Still a testament to Rose's 'The Bread Bible' recipe that I still ended up with delicious crisp, yet chewy, walnut studded bread. 

Fogasse: the French cousin of the focaccia, often slashed to resemble an ear of wheat, I loved this bread, reminded me of a pretzel focaccia cross. 

The bread today uses walnut oil. One of my favourite ever oils with it's fantastic deep nutty flavour perfect for salad dressings, toss through pasta and as a finishing oil. 

The bread was started with flour and yeast that were whisked together, salt was added and whisked in. 

I added my own fresh sage and lemon zest, the backyard lemon tree leads to lemon being in umm, just about everything. Lemon gives a faux sour dough quality to the bread too. 

The lemon zest and sage were whisked in. 

Scalded milk and a few tablespoons of walnut oil are added, first mixed to rough dough and then kneaded by dough hook fitted mixer or hand until you have an elastic and just barely sticky dough.

You need coarsely broken walnuts at this stage. 

The walnuts are incorporated by hand. 

The dough formed into a ball is then coated in more walnut oil and goes off the rise for around an hour. 

The dough is turned out, more walnut oil is added and again it goes off to rise. Again the dough is turned out and *more oil is added and goes off for a third rise.

I rolled the dough in a rectangle, gave it a letter turn and it was covered to rest for 30 minutes.

Yay!! up to the shaping bit, place your dough on prepared baking sheet, and roll or press it out into a 9x15 by half an inch oval.

Measuring with my only ruler that has imperial measurements on it.  

More walnut oil was brushed on and dough was slashed into head of wheat pattern.  Using your fingers to stretch open the pattern.  

Final rise time now, about 15 minutes. Stretch open any gaps that have closed and pop the tray into your prepared oven. I sprinkled on sea salt flakes at this stage, love lemon, sage, walnut and salt combo

A great center piece bread for a BBQ or your Easter table. Full flavoured and delicious unadulterated.

A crispy crust plus pretzel chew, moist interior with a great walnut substance to it.  

Warm I found the bread a little oily, and unsuitable for oil dipping and dukkah (I tried)... I would like to reduce the oil a litte next time I make it. Plus I would like try replacing the milk with water or a milk substitute as this would make a great vegan bread to serve with with hummus and charred veg.  

Add a bottle of red and your all set. 

Happy Baking :) 

Today has been one of the 'Rose's Bread Bible Bakers' bakes where a group of fabulous bakers get together and bake from the pages of 'The Bread Bible'. The Bread Bibleby Rose Levy Beranbaum is available from Amazon and all discerning book stores.

Know a 'Beatles' fan? You might want to make an octopus's garden cupcake for easter, don't we all?  

Golden Apple

apple & raspberry cupcake, raspberry pink glacé icing and golden apple topper

The myth of the golden apple...

Zeus held a banquet in celebration of the marriage of Peleus and Thetis. Left off the guest list was Eris (goddess of discord), and upon turning up uninvited, she threw or rolled a golden apple into the ceremony, with an inscription that read: καλλίστῃ or, "to the fairest." Three goddesses claimed the apple: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite.

Zeus deemed Paris as the judge as he knew that Paris would be a fair and equal judge. He gave the apple to Hermes and told him to deliver it to Paris and tell him that the goddesses would accept his decision without argument, and so the goddesses appeared. Each of the goddesess offered Paris a gift as a bribe in return for the apple. First approached Hera who offered to make him a famous, powerful king; next came Athena, who offered to make him wise, above even some of the gods; and last of all came Aphrodite, who said she would give him the most beautiful woman in the world as his wife, Helen at that time, of Sparta (later to be titled Helen of Troy). Paris chose Aphrodite, which would ultimately lead to the start of the Trojan war. Paris soon went to celebrate the marriage of Helen and Menelaus with his brother. They spent the night there, and Menelaus was called to Agamemnon, and thus Helen and Paris were left alone. In this time they made love, and Helen left Menelaus and sailed to Troy with Paris, thus initiating the Trojan War.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter break with family & friends, back to cupcaking today with beautiful Golden Apple toppers. I've always thought of the Zeus myth when creating these apples, but when I went to get the story from the net today the first Google results showed 'Golden Apple' as being a brothel in Sydney. That gave me something else to think about ;)

I've made these apples (& pears) in the past to surround a large Christmas cake, they work equally well topping a cupcake. Super easy to make, start with by rolling balls of white fondant or modelling paste to create your apples in a size appropriate for your cupcakes, set aside for 30 minutes and get your stalks ready. I used the dry parts of mint stalk pieces from an unsprayed mint plant, and insert pieces into the centre of the balls to create a stalk. Set aside to dry for 24 hours.

The leaves; I used tiny sprouting mint leaves to create an imprint on modelling paste. Pick your leaves, lay them out with the rear side facing upwards. Press and shape a small piece of modelling paste onto the leaves. Set aside for 30 to 60 minutes (don't leave it on any longer or the moisture from the leaf will dissolve the modelling paste), gently peel away the leaf. There will be a slight discolouration from the leaf, but that will be covered by the edible paint. Set aside to dry.

 

finished dried and painted leaves can be stored long term in a sealed airtight container

cake decorators edible paint available in nail-polish like bottles in metallic shades from cake decorating stores

Next day, paint your apples and leaves with edible food paint, I use light gold. Set aside to dry.

Attach your leaves to the stalks with a tiny pieces of modelling paste, this is a bit fiddly but not difficult. 

Set aside to dry, paint the seam where you have joined the leaves to the stalks. Next... you guessed it... set aside to dry!

All finished and ready to use as cupcake toppers.

*Any edible unsprayed leaf can be used as a template. Make sure your 'stalks' are from the dried woody part of the herb/flower plant.

golden apple myth wikipedia 

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