We know what you're thinking: Waffles! How hard can that be to screw up? Well listen: There's a lot that can go wrong with these griddled and golden fluffy frisbees. We spoke with the Bon Appétit test kitchen to identify the most common things people mess up when making a good old-fashioned Sunday morning waffle recipe. Do don't screw up this diner classic—we'll be watching.
1. Not Reading the Recipe
Yes, smarty pants, you should always read a recipe in full before attempting to cook it. But it's especially important here: Some recipes call for proofing yeast, which takes at least eight hours. In that case, you'll need to mix the batter the night before you plan on making waffles. Senior editor Chris Morocco recalls the first (and last) time he made that mistake: "I didn't realize that they needed to proof overnight until I had the syrup out on the counter." Oops.
Make the batter for these yeasted waffles the night before—it needs to proof. Photo: Marcus Nilsson
2. Not Lightening the Batter
Whether your waffles are yeasted or not, the key to a successful one is in a light and fluffy, not dense and doughy, texture (we're not making pancakes here, people). You can lighten the batter in one of two ways. First, you could separate the egg yolk and white. Whip the whites into a frothy texture, then gently fold them in to the rest of the mix. Or, you could whip unsweetened cream and fold that in. Either way, use a delicate hand so as not to deflate the whites or whipped cream. This results in a batter that's light and ethereal, but not overly rich.
3. Using the Wrong Flour
While nailing a waffle's ideal texture is an elusive game, there's one surefire way to mess it up: Using a flour with too much protein structure. This eliminates bread flour, which is great for chewy loaves but too heavy for waffles. On the flip side, waffles aren't as flaky-delicate as baked goods, making pastry flour too fine for the job. Good old AP, or all-purpose, flour is where it's at. If you want to sprinkle in a tablespoon or two of buckwheat or rye flour for added nutty heft, go for it. If you want to use a store-bought mix… at least promise us you'll get out the real maple syrup.
