Liege Waffles

Apparently I've got waffle on the brain because this is my second post about them this month.   While the Norwegian Vaffler are thin and pliable, their Belgian counterparts are anything but.  Inspiration to make Liege Waffles came from my cousin-in-law Cheryl who posted a picture of them on her Instagram account a few weeks ago.  

In the US most people are familiar with "Brussels waffles", aka Belgian waffles, but these Liege ones are a little different.  They're sweeter, denser and chewier than their well-known cousin.  The butter laden brioche-style batter is studded to the brim with chunky pearl sugar which melts and caramelizes on the outside when the waffles cook.   DELICIOUS!!!

My preference is to enjoy them plain but they're also the perfect base for other toppings like whipped cream or fresh fruit.   I've never had the pleasure of enjoying these treats in their native land, but I hope to one day.  In the meantime this version will more than suffice...and you don't need a passport to enjoy them! 

Vaffler (Norwegian Waffles)

In honor of today, syttende mai or the "17th of May", I'm making one of my all-time favorite Norwegian treats - vaffler.  These aren't the American style waffles that are eaten at breakfast with maple syrup.    Rather, these are soft and pliable and eaten as a snack.  

You'll find vaffler all over Norway: at the 7-11 convenience store, coffee shops and even the airport, but I like homemade ones the best.  My Norwegian family loves to eat their waffles with brunost, a sweet brown goat cheese, but I prefer mine with a little dollop of Nora raspberry jam. 

The batter comes together super quickly and you MUST use a heart-shaped waffle iron.   The recipe calls for cardamom which is used throughout Nordic baking and gives the waffles a truly authentic taste.  

GRATULERER MED DAGEN!!!