02 September 2021

Belgian Waffles - or Regular Waffles - Freezing and Reheating

Belgian Waffles - or Regular Waffles - with directions for freezing and reheating / www.delightfulrepast.com

Belgian waffles might be the perfect comfort food breakfast, but we make them for dinner! And I don't mean a savory version, I mean the breakfast version with just butter and maple syrup. 

Years ago we had a stovetop Belgian waffle maker that we wore completely out. We couldn't find another like it, so I researched all the electric ones and decided on the Cuisinart 4-Slice Belgian Waffle Maker.

Besides all the other good things about it, it takes 2 cups of batter. So the recipe I had developed for regular waffles, and which works just as well for Belgian waffles, will make two of these. Exactly. No leftover batter. That's important to me. I hate waste. And the leftovers are great! I mean it. Great.


Belgian Waffles - or Regular Waffles - with directions for freezing and reheating / www.delightfulrepast.com


Just put the leftover squares in the refrigerator and heat them in the toaster the next day (or up to 3 days), good as new! I've even stirred up a batch specifically for freezing. Just thaw the desired number of squares in the refrigerator overnight (or in the microwave in the morning), pop them in the toaster, and there you go! No need to ever eat a store-bought frozen waffle again. Ever.

If more than one or two people are having waffles, it makes more sense to heat the waffles in the oven. Preheat oven to 300F/150C/Gas2. Lay the waffle squares on a baking sheet, or directly on the oven rack, and heat for about 10 minutes, if thawed, or about 15 minutes, if frozen.

My recipe makes two Cuisinart WAF-150 square Belgian waffles, each making four 1-inch deep 4.5-inch squares. If you prefer regular waffles, it makes six 7-inch round regular waffles.


Belgian Waffles - or Regular Waffles - with directions for freezing and reheating / www.delightfulrepast.com


Yesterday I stirred up a batch for a solo lunch. Since I eat two squares, that means I can refrigerate or freeze six squares. So I cooled them to room temperature on a wire rack, then laid them out on a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan, covered them (you can use a lid or another jelly roll pan or a piece of foil), and popped them into the freezer for a couple hours. Then transferred them to one-gallon freezer bags, which holds four perfectly, so next time I make a batch I'll add two more squares to the one bag.

This is my basic recipe. Sometimes I use different whole grain flours or throw in some very finely chopped pecans, but I always use this formula. We like to think the three eggs transform it into a seriously nutritious, high-protein meal. Tell me: How do you like your waffles? And do you prefer Belgian or regular? People tend to feel very strongly about that!


Belgian Waffles - or Regular Waffles - with directions for freezing and reheating / www.delightfulrepast.com

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Belgian Waffles - or Regular Waffles


(Makes two Cuisinart WAF-150 Belgian waffles or six 7-inch round regular waffles)

1 2/3 cups (13.33 fluid ounces/394 ml) milk
1 1/2 tablespoons 0.75 fluid ounce/22 ml) apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter
1 2/3 dip-and-sweep cups (8.33 ounces/236 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar (optional but improves browning)
2 teaspoons non-GMO baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs (medium, in the UK), room temperature

1 In a 2-cup glass measure, stir together milk and vinegar; let stand for several minutes while proceeding with recipe. Melt the butter and allow it to cool.

2 In a 2-quart glass measure, whisk together dry ingredients. In a 1-quart glass measure, whisk together the eggs, soured milk, and melted and cooled butter. Pour into dry mixture and combine. Let batter rest 15 minutes before using.

3 Your waffle iron becomes "seasoned" after a few uses and requires no greasing. But if your waffle iron is new, spray both upper and lower grids with cooking spray, or apply a little canola oil with a paper towel or pastry brush. During last 5 or 6 minutes of the batter's rest, preheat waffle iron. I use the medium setting.

4 Pour 2 level cups of batter (this might differ for your model) onto center of waffle iron; quickly spread batter evenly over the grid (doesn't need to be perfect). Close the lid and bake until the green light comes on and the audible tone sounds, about 5 to 6 minutes. When the tone sounds (another signal is that the steam stops or slows way down), open lid and remove the waffle. Close lid and wait just a minute for iron to reheat. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with cold unsalted butter and warm real maple syrup or my Homemade Blueberry Syrup or Sauce.

Tip: Since my freezer is my best friend, I recently treated myself to two ThermoWorks digital refrigerator/freezer thermometers to replace the nearly impossible to read analog thermometer I switched back and forth between fridge and freezer for years.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

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36 comments:

Richard Sheppard said...

Mmmm, I love waffles. Haven't had one in ages though. Now if I can find the waffle iron amongst the moving boxes...I'll just have to give this recipe a go! Yes, great for breakfast and also great toasted in the evening with a scoop of Ice cream on top. Yum.

Angie's Recipes said...

I love the golden crisp edges :-) So yummy!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Yes, Richard, get that waffle iron unpacked! Hope you're settling in well. Waffles do have dessert possibilities. Mr Delightful would put butter and a sprinkling of powdered sugar on his.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Angie. That's what I like, too.

ellen b. said...

Delicious! I'm going to go toast up a waffle now...

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Ellen. Think I will, too!

Lynn and Precious said...

Crisply yummy! Nice to see others trying breakfast food for supper.
Thank you for your recipe. Lynn and Precious

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

Gives a whole new meaning to “eating three squares a day.” I’m a little bit baffled by why you would chop up those pecans so fine in that version. Maybe whole pecans would be a little problematic for waffles pressed in a grid (just right for pancake corn fritters), but chunks of pecan add texture to waffles for me and enough size to savor the flavor. In any case, they also make a lovely sponge for butter. 5 cleavers!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Lynn, thanks so much. Happy September to you and Precious!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Sully. Five cleavers even! Yes, exactly right on the reason for finely chopping the pecans. For whole pecans, just dry toast them in a small skillet and throw them on top.

Jeanie said...

Good idea on freeze/reheat. I think we have a wafflemaker in the garage at the cottage. Maybe I should dig it out!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Waffles are great! And such a nice looking recipe, too. One of these days I really need to buy a waffle maker -- been doing without for way too long.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Jeanie, thank you. Yes, you should definitely dig it out!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, John. I think everyone needs to have a waffle iron, excuse me, waffle *maker*. I'm still going with what my mother and grandmothers called them!

Cheryl said...

Waffles are definitely dinner food at my place. (I am not a morning person, so I'd never have waffles if I had to make them first thing.) Also, I make regular waffles because I was given a regular waffle maker as a gift, but I'm certainly not opposed to Belgian! All this talk of waffles (and your yummy looking photos!) has given me a hankering for a waffle . . .

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Cheryl thank you. I had hoped to make them again today, but stuff happened and dinner took another direction. Maybe tomorrow.

TONY said...

World Fairs have a lot to answer for!! I had to check that they did actually originate in Belgium.
I found this.
"Originally showcased in 1958[1] at Expo 58 in Brussels, Belgian waffles were introduced to North America by a Belgian named Walter Cleyman at the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle in 1962, and served with whipped cream and strawberries.[2] The waffles were further popularized in the United States during the 1964 New York World's Fair[3] at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, New York City. These waffles were introduced by Maurice Vermersch of Brussels, Belgium.[citation needed] Largely based on a simplified recipe for the Brussels waffles, Vermersch decided to change the name to the Bel-Gem Waffle upon observing that many Americans could not correctly identify Brussels as the capital of Belgium.[4][5] These waffles were served with whipped cream and strawberries, and they were sold for a dollar."
So, there you go.
Were they around before 1958 though?
I like syrup on waffles myself. Actually I use a lot of honey. I prefer honey.
Another great recipe Jean. All the best.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tony. Great information! I have no idea if they were around before 1958; I think I first became aware of them in the 1970s. I like them with just butter and real maple syrup. Thanks again for the info!

Lowcarb team member said...

Waffles can be so delicious, many thanks for sharing the recipe details.

There is a low carb recipe we like too
https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/2018/08/waffles-with-blueberry-butter-keto-low.html

Happy September Wishes.

All the best Jan

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jan! I'll have to experiment with the keto waffles! Perfect for our nephew.

Dee | GrammysGrid.com said...

YUM, I love waffles but hate pancakes, yuck! Thanks so much for linking up at the Unlimited Link Party 33. Pinned!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Dee, thanks so much. I like both, but I'm definitely preferring waffles right now. I think it's because of the crispy exterior. And thanks for the Pin, always appreciated!

Cocoa and Lavender said...

Wonderful tips! These really remind me if my mother — she made the best Belgian waffles. Such a treat fir us four boys (five with Dad)!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, David! They are a treat. Looking forward to having one in the morning, one square, that is, not one whole waffle!

Marilyn Miller said...

I really need to start freezing waffles, such a good idea.
Plus I love them for dinner occasionally too along with some breakfast meat.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Marilyn. I'm thinking of having them for dinner tomorrow evening with some really good bacon.

Miz Helen said...

Hi Jean,
We just love Waffle's here at the cottage and your recipe looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday, 552 and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you so much, Miz Helen!

Gerlinde de Broekert said...

I not much of a waffle fan but my husband loves them . This is a great recipe and I will make them for him. Thanks Jean!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Gerlinde. I hope he likes them as much as we do!

Phil in the Kitchen said...

I love a waffle. In fact, I love too many waffles than is good for me. But that's life. They remind me of sitting by the sea on a weekday afternoon in France. Yours do look lovely and just the thing to make me happy at any time of the day, just about anywhere. My neighbours needed to return to the US suddenly last year and sold me their electric waffle maker but I admit that I haven't used it much. This will force me to get it down from the shelf.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Phil, thank you! And I'm so glad you're going to get that waffle maker down from the shelf. Let me know how it goes!

Dee | GrammysGrid.com said...

CONGRATS! Your post is FEATURED at my Unlimited Link Party 34!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Dee, thanks! I'll pop over tomorrow and check out the party!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I love waffles and haven’t made any since Valentine’s Day! I need to change that.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

That's too long between waffles, Kitty! I had one (the last of my freezer stash) this morning.