Belgian or Norwegian? Two Waffle Makers, Two Batters

"Waffle" covers two quite different things, and buying the wrong maker for the waffle you actually want is an easy and slightly annoying mistake. A Belgian waffle and a Norwegian waffle share a name and almost nothing else.

Belgian waffles are thick with deep pockets, made from a rich, aerated batter, and eaten with berries, cream or ice cream. Norwegian waffles are thin and soft, lightly spiced with cardamom, and eaten folded with jam and sour cream. Different batters, different textures, different machines.

The two waffles

Wilfa is a Norwegian company, so it's worth saying that in Norway waffles are an everyday thing rather than a weekend event — soft, warm, folded around jam, eaten standing up with a cup of coffee. They're closer to a pancake than to the thing an American diner serves.

The two makers

Wilfa's UK range has two:

• Belgian Waffle Maker — £75. Deep plates for thick, pocketed Belgian waffles.
• Joy Waffle Maker — £80. The other waffle maker in the range; check the product page for plate detail.

Both sit in the waffle makers collection, and both carry the five-year Wilfa warranty.

Belgian waffle batter

Makes about 6 waffles.

The thing that makes a Belgian waffle worth the effort is folding whisked egg whites in at the end. It's the difference between a thick pancake and something that shatters slightly when you cut it.

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 350ml whole milk
• 75g butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a large bowl.
2. In a jug, combine the egg yolks, milk, melted butter and vanilla.
3. Pour the wet into the dry and mix until just combined. A few lumps are fine — overworking makes waffles tough.
4. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. In a ProBaker, use the dual whisk between speed 50 and 70 — and not above 70, which beats the air back out faster than it goes in.
5. Fold the whites into the batter in two additions, gently, keeping as much air as you can.
6. Cook straight away — this batter doesn't wait.

Norwegian waffle batter

Makes about 10 waffles.

Thinner, simpler, and the cardamom is not optional — it's what makes it taste Norwegian rather than just plain.

Ingredients

• 200g plain flour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• Pinch of fine salt
• 3 large eggs
• 400ml buttermilk
• 75g butter, melted and cooled slightly

Method

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
2. Beat the eggs into the buttermilk, then pour into the dry ingredients and whisk to a smooth, pourable batter.
3. Stir in the melted butter.
4. Rest the batter for 30 minutes at room temperature. This matters more here than in the Belgian version — it lets the flour hydrate and gives a softer, more tender waffle.
5. Cook, then stack the waffles under a clean tea towel to keep them soft rather than crisp.

Serve warm, folded, with strawberry jam and sour cream. If you want to be properly Norwegian about it, brunost — brown cheese — melted on a hot waffle is the real thing.

Five things that go wrong

• Waffles stick. The iron wasn't hot enough, or the plates need a light brush of oil before the first waffle. The first one is a sacrifice in most households; make peace with it.
• They're pale and soft when you wanted crisp. Not enough time, or too much batter — an overfilled iron steams rather than crisps.
• They're tough. The batter was overmixed. Mix until just combined and stop.
• They go soggy in the stack. Belgian waffles want a wire rack, not a plate, so steam can escape. Norwegian waffles are the opposite — a tea towel keeps them soft, which is the point.
• The batter overflows. Less than you think. Fill the centre and let it spread as the lid closes.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Belgian and Norwegian waffles?
Belgian waffles are thick with deep pockets, crisp outside and airy inside, made from a rich batter with whisked egg whites folded in. Norwegian waffles are thin, soft and cake-like, flavoured with cardamom, and eaten folded with jam and sour cream.

Why do my waffles stick to the iron?
Usually because the iron wasn't fully up to temperature before the batter went in, or because the plates needed a light brush of oil before the first waffle. Let the iron heat fully and expect the first waffle of a session to be the worst one.

Should waffle batter rest before cooking?
For thin Norwegian-style batter, yes — 30 minutes lets the flour hydrate and gives a softer waffle. Belgian batter with folded egg whites should be cooked straight away, before the air you whisked in escapes.

How do I keep waffles crisp?
Cool them on a wire rack rather than stacking them on a plate, so steam escapes instead of softening the crust. Norwegian waffles are meant to be soft, so stack those under a tea towel instead.

Can I make waffle batter in a stand mixer?
Yes. Combine the batter on a low speed, then whisk the egg whites separately with the dual whisk. On a Wilfa ProBaker, keep the whisk between speeds 50 and 70 — running it above 70 knocks air out of the whites rather than in.

Two recipes, one Saturday

They're different enough to be worth making both, and a batch of each will settle the question of which waffle your household actually wants.

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