Hey, Sweetie!
Ready for some sinful temptation?
Then you'll love me: the waffle, Belgium’s most
tempting street food.
But grab a napkin, because when you touch my crispy sides, it’s
guaranteed to be hot.
But what really turns my lovers on?
It has to be soft inside.
Delicious.
It's very sweet, that's all I can tell you.
It's very nice.
It makes you happy when you taste some sweet things.
In Brussels you can hardly escape my charms - I'm everywhere here.
But if you want me, you have to decide if you prefer the light and
airy Brussels waffle or...
the sticky and sweet Liège version.
My creators stand behind both my personalities in each waffle shop:
like Sarah Schoentgen and Adam Danckaert.
They bake me in the traditional Maison Dandoy pastry shop.
People have been indulging their sweet vices here for
almost 200 years.
The secret to a good waffle is good dough.
You need flour, butter, water, milk eggs, a little salt and sugar,
vanilla and yeast.
These little gas bubbles are forming.
That means the yeast is working.
And that’s just the foreplay!
Now a hot waffle iron is waiting for me.
Its warmth caresses me and I release my tantalizing fragrance.
But only beginners peek too soon!
You know the waffle is cooked perfectly when the steam is coming
out just in little trails and not in big clouds.
You can also see the coloring on the sides.
My grand entrance: when the waffle iron rises!
My baker examines my freshly browned splendor.
You can see that it’s crispy outside, but still soft inside.
So much for Brussels.
But now to the sugary sweet Liège me.
I’m really something special.
The Liège dough is very different: It’s stiffer.
And you can see these pearls of sugar in the pastry.
This is a special sugar that doesn’t melt completely
when it bakes.
Oh yes, when this sugar caramelizes during baking, it awakens my charms
and makes me irresistible.
Some people like the ones from Brussels, others
prefer Liège waffles.
Sales are about the same.
Don’t worry, we’re getting family friendly again.
Most don’t like me so exposed.
It's time for the toppings that drape my beauty.
Generous drizzles of chocolate sauce on my hot crust, tempting
fruits, a gentle touch of sinful cream, melt-in-your-mouth
ice cream, cheeky crunchy cookie crumbs.
Well, is your mouth watering yet?
No wonder some people can't hold back.
One customer wanted me to put all the toppings we had on his waffle.
All of them!
Got a problem with that?
There are limits to good taste!
But not all of my lovers are obsessed, at most they have a bit
of a pastry fetish.
A basic one with dark chocolate and cream.
Strawberries and cream!
Liège waffle with strawberries and ice cream.
This is marshmallow and chocolate.
I will buy another one.
Whether as a Liège or a Brussels waffle, I’m all over Belgium.
Around the Grand Place in Brussels you can find me right on the street
or in more refined cafes.
I am always open to new ways.
Some even dare to nibble me with savory fillings.
Hot and crispy, baby!
I’ve always been photogenic.
They say my ancestors were prudish wafers in convents - hard to
believe, isn't it?
My big break came in the mid-20th century when my Brussels version
became popular in the United States, simply called
the "Belgian Waffle ".
Tourists especially succumb to my charms, but so do locals.
My makers are no exception.
I like the Liège waffles plain, and the Brussels waffle with just
a touch of sugar on top.
That’s enough for me.
Once a week on my break I eat a Liège waffle just the way it is.
A lunch-time quickie!
Yes, it’s always good.
Nobody can resist me.
For a pastry made from simple ingredients, I'm pretty hot stuff,
don't you think?