Buttermilk Belgian Waffles

Infused with maple syrup, these Buttermilk Belgian Waffles are the perfect way to start your day! Perfectly golden brown, with a crisp exterior, these Belgian waffles still remain delectably fluffy. Their fluffy texture is owed to the whipped egg whites, which is stabilized into a French meringue with sugar, which is delicately folded into the batter. Yum!

The Perfect Combination of Fluffy and Crispy

In my opinion, the best waffle is the perfect combination of fluffy and crispy. The waffle should be soft and airy inside, while having a beautiful golden exterior that has a delightful crunch when bitten into. These buttermilk Belgian waffles are exactly that! By folding in egg whites that are stabilized by sugar, the result is an unparalleled fluffiness. Adding maple syrup in the batter has three benefits: it adds an extra dimension to the flavor, aids in the caramelization of the waffle exterior, and also keeps the batter just thin enough to ensure a crisp exterior.

Stabilize the Egg Whites into a Meringue for Fluffy Belgian Waffles

As with all classics, recipes for Belgian waffles vary quite a bit. However, I like to categorize waffles into 2 categories: Whole Eggs vs. Separated Eggs. I have made both and have concluded that separated egg recipes are far superior. Folding in whipped eggs whites gives an unrivaled way to make Belgian waffles ever so fluffy! But, as whipped egg whites by themselves are so delicate, I have found that adding the sugar to the eggs whites, to form a French meringue, has resulted in much more stable eggs whites that do not lose their air quite as easily. Therefore, when folding in the meringue into the rest of the batter, we can be a little less delicate with our folding, while still maintaining the level of volume in the egg whites.

Room Temperature Egg Whites

Now, like anytime when you are whipping egg whites, you want to ensure that the eggs are at room temperature. This is solely because room temperature eggs whip up soooo much easier than cold eggs. You can easily bring your cold eggs up to room temperature by filling up a glass with hot tap water and placing the eggs carefully into the glass, allowing them to sit for 5-10 minutes.

Making the Meringue

Creating the French meringue is so simple. Whip the whites to stiff peaks, then slowly sprinkle the sugar in and continue to beat until the peaks are beautifully glossy with a smooth texture throughout. Make sure to add the sugar in slowly, as to ensure even dissolving of the sugar in the egg whites. If you have some sugar graininess in your meringue, just keep whipping in until this graininess dissipates!

Hold the Gluten, Please

Now all that being said, we still do not want to overmix as there still is the possibility of deflating the meringue with too much mixing, but we also do not want to overwork the gluten either, because who wants a chewy waffle! Furthermore, I have found that allowing the batter to rest also creates maximum fluff and tenderness! The 30-minute resting period allows the gluten to “relax” and also allows the flour and cornstarch to sort-of soak up all the liquids, hydrating the starch molecules which in turn causes them to expand, leading to a fluffier waffle!