A waffle is a dish made from leavened batter or dough that is cooked between two plates that are patterned to give a characteristic size, shape, and surface impression.

There are many variations based on the type of waffle iron and recipe used. Waffles are eaten throughout the world, particularly in Belgium, which has over a dozen regional varieties. Waffles may be made fresh or simply heated after having been commercially cooked and frozen.

The word waffle first appears in the English language in 1725: "Waffles. Take flower, cream..." It is directly derived from the Dutch wafel, which itself derives from the Middle Dutch wafele.

While the Middle Dutch wafele is first attested to at the end of the 13th century, it is preceded by the French walfre in 1185; both from Frankish wafla 'honeycomb' or 'cake'.

Other spellings throughout modern and medieval Europe include waffe, wafre, wafer, wâfel, waufre, iauffe, gaufre, goffre, gauffre, wafe, waffel, wåfe, wāfel, wafe, vaffel, and våffla.

In ancient times the Greeks cooked flat cakes, called obelios, between hot metal plates. As they were spread throughout medieval Europe, the cake mix, a mixture of flour, water or milk, and often eggs, became known as wafers and were also cooked over an open fire between iron plates with long handles.

The oublie was, in its basic form, composed only of grain flour and water. It took until the 11th century for flavorings such as orange blossom water to be added to the oublies; however, locally sourced honey and other flavorings may have already been in use before that time.

Oublies, not formally named as such until c. 1200, spread throughout northwestern continental Europe, eventually leading to the formation of the oublieurs guild in 1270. These oublieurs/obloyers were responsible for not only producing the oublies but also for a number of other contemporaneous and subsequent pâtisseries légères (light pastries), including the waffles that were soon to arise.

Here is a waffles recipe, using about 35 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, more for waffle iron

2 cups/240 grams all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon/15 grams sugar

1 teaspoon/8 grams baking powder

1 teaspoon/5 grams fine sea salt

½ teaspoon/3 grams baking soda

1 cup plain yogurt (or see note)

1 cup milk

4 large eggs

PREPARATION

1.Melt butter either on the stove or in the microwave. Set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, milk, melted butter, and eggs. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

3.Preheat a waffle iron and, using a pastry brush or paper towel, lightly coat with butter. Cook waffles (using about 1/2 cup batter per waffle) until golden and crisp. Butter the iron in between batches as needed. Serve waffles immediately as they are ready, or keep them warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.

Tip:

If you don’t have yogurt (or sour cream or buttermilk will all work), substitute another 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar.