The waffle-iron, all you need to know

About the wonderful waffle and waffle-iron

I spend a lot of time over in Belgium, surely the home of the world’s best waffles without a doubt. Most areas have waffle stands and there is such a variety to be had.

I regularly get shipments of the very best maple syrup from friends in Vermont, and my waffles rarely don’t have this delicious syrup poured over it.

A waffle is made from a thin and light batter cooked between two buttered and heated plates or grids. The waffle batter is made from flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and water or milk. Also a flavouring is added such as vanilla.

The whole cooking method actually started with the ancient Greeks, and waffles as we know them started sometime around the 13th Century. These honeycomb like treats were called gaufres from the French waffle.

In Europe the waffle varieties vary quite a lot, from thin crisp and delicate to thick and greasy that are eaten hot. The usual European and Belgian way of eating them is hot, sprinkled with sugar, or icing-sugar and whipped cream, some with rich chocolate poured over them.

How does a waffle maker work

Like many other useful kitchen aids the waffle-iron is right up there as a family favorite. The waffle-iron is also a heating device, that comprises an enclosed heating element around the honeycomb like mould or grid.

The basic heating control is also from a thermostat that maintains the correct temperature. Most electric machines also have a light to indicate that power is on while some also have an additional light to show that heat is at the correct operating temperature

How to prepare a new waffle-iron?

Some waffle irons have pre-treated grids but generally you should always season the iron before using it. The general advice is to use either unsalted butter or fat and this should be brushed on the grids.

Turn on the waffle-iron until the waffle grids start to smoke then bake a waffle or two to absorb the fat or butter. Give the waffle-iron a wipe clean and you are ready to start. In general the most common waffle-irons are made with a non-stick coating and I simply give a season with butter.

How do you clean a waffle-iron?

After baking waffles on your waffle-iron you should wipe the grids clean with a paper towel while still warm, and sometimes you may need to use a soft brush.

Under no circumstances scrape the grids with a knife or other scraped as this will damage the non-stick types and also take off any seasoning on the others.

Another important piece of advice is not to wash the grids. The purpose of seasoning is to give the grids that dark coating that prevents sticking. If you remove it you will need to re-season the grids again.

Eventually you may need to wash the grids with warm and soapy water and re-season again if sticking or the grids are stained or contaminated with too much material.

My waffle-iron isn’t working

The electric waffle maker is pretty simple and also very reliable, and if they fail there is not much that can be done to repair them.

If your machine will not work and the power light is on then the thermostat is probably faulty, or the heating element has failed. It is hard to access most machines to actually test the heating element.

If the power light isn’t on then check the power is switched on and the power cord is undamaged. Also check the power cable plug connections

Waffle recipes

I hope to bring you useful basic waffle making information and recipes here soon, if you have some handy hints why not email me for inclusion, full credits will be given.

Useful Resources

Upper Michigan Vacations - Upper Peninsula of Michigan, information on the history, unique attractions, residents, wildlife, recreation areas, resorts and lodgings, outdoor recreation. Fishing, biking, hiking, canoeing etc

Oregon Coast RV Parks - Gold Beach Oregon - Turtle Rock Resort, Southern Oregon Coast RV Park at Gold Beach Oregon - on the Ocean Front near the Rogue River. Gold Beach RV Park, Gold Beach Vacation Rentals, Cabins and Cottages at Hunters Creek

Fairfax VA Maids House Cleaning Services - The Maids Serving Fairfax is the leader in healthy home cleaning! Serving Fairfax, Virginia and surrounding suburbs

Austin Maids, House Cleaning Services - Leader in healthy home cleaning! Serving Austin, Texas area. Our Healthy Touch Deep Cleaning System includes 22 quality tasks to remove more dirt & contaminants than any other cleaning system

Steamboat Real Estate - The enchanting Yampa Valley, the prefect place to retire or raise a family is the next real estate boom. Steamboat Colorado, a great place to live, a great place to work and a great place to invest.

London Theatre Breaks - Book your London theatre breaks with Showstopper, and enjoy a trip to the theatre and a stay in a luxury hotel. Choose from a range of theatre breaks to suit all tastes and budgets.

Custom Welded Aluminum Jet Boats - Rogue Jet Boatworks superior products, a passion infusing superior craftmanship to name a few: full length box girders, surfboard keel-plates, laminar flow intakes, reinforce gunnels and a Lifetime Hull Guarantee

Tampa Bay Real Estate - We will move mountains to find you the right home. A home that fits your budget, aspirations and lifestyle. Let our Central Florida pros find you reasonably priced homes and enjoy great fishing and lifestyles

Nebraska Pheasant Hunting - Midwest premier hunt club and kennel in the scenic Loess Hills with close to 10,000 acres of prime hunting ground, the natural habitat provides unlimited challenges for groups of all sizes.

Dallas Fort Worth Computer & Network Support - Providing professional network support and computer IT support to businesses of all sizes. PCX Technologies is fast, affordable and 100% reliable. Better and cheaper than having your own IT department

Heathrow Airport Parking - Hassle free start to your journey, join over 50,000 people who book their airport parking and airport hotels with Parking4less each year. Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Stansted and Birmingham airports

Surge Protectors - Authorized Internet Dealer for entire line of Panamax Surge Protector and quality Panamax Audio/Video component systems.

Hyperparathyroidism, Parathyroid Surgeon - Dr. Stickney is undoubtedly one of the leading parathyroid surgeons. Find up-to-date, straight-forward discussions of parathyroid disease and minimally invasive parathyroid surgery

Hawaii Whale Watching - Observe Hawaiian Humpback whales while sailing the waters of the famous North Shore, the least crowded whale watching spot on Oahu. Our Small groups give you a personal and up-close experience

Electric Guitar - Your source for musical instrument and gear reviews. Guitars, basses, drums, keyboards, software, microphones, mixers, bass guitars, DJ equipment, Karaoke and more, helping you research before buying

Orlando Investment Property - Realtors specializing in investment properties in Kissimmee and Orlando. Vacation homes, second homes and income producing properties.

Maui Whale Watching Tours - Complimentary Concierge Services, discount rates for activities on Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai and Oahu. Helicopter Tours, Ocean Activities, Land Tours, Whale watching, Snorkeling, Luaus, more