the best … The Perfect Light Crispy Waffle

A few years ago I met a friend for brunch at The Publican, a great restaurant in Chicago’s West Loop. Chef Paul Kahan knows what’s what; his restaurants are always outstanding. We scanned the menu and settled on a few savory dishes to share but we kept coming back to the waffle. We wanted it all so she smartly suggested we order the savory dishes to start and split the waffle for dessert. It was the best decision ever made.

After a lovely meal and some fantastic bloody mary’s, the waffle arrived hot and crisp with little ramekins of honey butter and a red berry jam on the side. I dug in and sighed happily. This was a damn good waffle. Light, crispy, just a bit sweet … it was one of the best waffles I’d ever had.

I’ve thought about that waffle ever since. Even attempted to duplicate it several times to no success. Now, I know my way around a waffle. I make waffles on the regular, mainly buttermilk or overnight yeasted. I’ve posted about Bacon Waffles (so good!) and Liege Sugar Waffles (also amazing) and I have a friend who wrote a whole cookbook about cooking things other than waffles in a waffle iron (very fun!). I even posted an Indian waffled aloo parantha on his blog. But I’ve never posted a regular waffle type waffle.

But that Publican waffle stumped me. There was something about that light, crispy texture I couldn’t quite get right. I have a whole file of waffle recipes on my computer that I’ve tried in an attempt to duplicate that texture including several buttermilk versions (nope), waffles lightened with egg whites (nope), one called Elaine’s Waffles (not sure who Elaine is/was but still nope) and the interestingly titled “Waffles of Insane Greatness” (nope). While all good, they weren’t that waffle. Then last fall, the book came out – Cheers to the Publican, Repast and Present: Recipes and Ramblings from an American Beer Hall. I immediately flipped to the index and laughed out loud. The book has one, just one, dessert recipe. The waffle. I was thrilled.

I made it immediately and several times since. It’s a pretty fantastic waffle. Light, crispy, inexplicably airy, just a touch sweet and exactly how I remembered. It contains a small amount of yeast but with only a one hour rise time, is a lot quicker than my favorite overnight sourdough waffle and gives it an interesting, slightly complex flavor. There’s just one thing. The recipe calls for one of those waffle irons that flip, which I do not have. After making my first batch, I understood why. The batter benefits greatly from gravity and a flip helps it rise fully in all its crispy glory. In my regular, no flip waffle iron they turned out fine just not as puffy and crisp on one side. And that’s ok; they were still delicious.

The Publican serves these waffles with a dusting a powdered sugar, some honey butter and a bit of jam. I like it that way though maple syrup is really good too. The recipe also calls for a sprinkle of Belgian pearl sugar on top of the batter before closing the lid. I tried both the Liege-style Belgian sugar and the smaller, easier to find Swedish pearl sugar and while I preferred the larger Liege-style sugary bits, the smaller pearls worked too. Use what you can find (some stores carry one or the other, as does Amazon and Ikea.) And I’ll say this … while I like biting into a crisp sweet little pocket of sugar, they’re just as fine without.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: FINALLY. This is one of those things that eluded me for so long. I really wish I could have figured it out on my own but when presented with the recipe, I’ll take it. They are wonderful and they make me happy. And that pretty much sums it all up.

nine years ago: Roasted Tomato & Asparagus Quiche
eight years ago: Classic Foccacia, Cooking for Frank Lloyd Wright
seven years ago: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
six years ago: Pear Frangipane Tarts
five years ago: Roasted Asparagus w/Stilton Sauce, Chocolate Bourbon Lard Cake
four years ago: Guinness Crème Anglaise
three years ago: Parmesan Pea Dip
two years ago: Shaved Asparagus Salad, Smoky Baba Ghanoush
last year: Cold Cucumber Buttermilk Soup

THE PERFECT LIGHT CRISPY WAFFLE aka THE PUBLICAN WAFFLE
from Cheers to the Publican, Repast and Present: Recipes and Ramblings from an American Beer Hall
Makes 4 Belgian waffles

For the waffle batter:
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 1/3 cup water
2 ¾ cups + 2 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
3 large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
Belgian pearl sugar

for the honey butter:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ teaspoons honey (try Mike’s Hot Honey!)
¼ teaspoon sea salt

for serving:
Powdered sugar
Jam

1. for the waffle batter: Place the butter, milk and water in a medium pot.
2. Warm the mixture over medium-low, just until the butter is completely melted. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
3. Combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl with a whisk.)
4. Stir on low to combine then slowly add the warm milk mixture.
5. Continuing to mix on low and slowly add the eggs.
6. Stop the mixture and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix a bit to combine fully.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for one hour. The batter will rise and double so make sure there’s enough room in the bowl. For a bit longer storage, place in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
8. for the honey butter: combine the butter, honey and salt in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
9. to cook the waffles: Heat your waffle iron according to the manufacturers instructions.
10. Spray both plates with cooking spray and place a large scoop of batter in the hot iron, spreading it to the edges and top with a sprinkle of pearl sugar (about a Tablespoon).
11. Cook until golden brown. Make sure it gets very brown and crispy.
12. Serve the waffles immediately with a dusting of powdered sugar, honey butter and a bit of fruity jam.