One way of achieving your health goals is to take an excellent breakfast. It’s an important meal that helps you to jump-start your metabolism. Once you make breakfast a routine, you might want to enjoy different delicacies. Have you tried waffles? Luckily, you can enjoy different types of waffles. Waffle gives you the option of adding healthy toppings, making it an excellent breakfast option. That doesn’t restrict you from taking waffles in any other meal. Waffles come in different types, grouped into two categories, namely; Belgian waffles as well as regular waffles. What’s their difference?
Difference between Belgian and Regular Waffles
If you see the two waffles, can you be able to distinguish them? Comparisons of Belgian waffles vs. regular waffles will give you a clear difference between the two. Note that both waffles are sweet, depending on the different toppings you use. Below are some notable differences.
Background
So, where did these two waffles originate? The origin of Belgian waffles is a country called Belgium in 1958. Later, it was introduced in Seattle in America. By 1964 it had already become popular in New York. Unlike the Belgian waffles that have a place of origin, no one knows with certainty where regular waffles came from. The only information about its origin is the year of its first appearance, 16th century AD. Since then, different authors have written the recipe for making a regular waffle. Unfortunately, their methods are different.
Recipe
Note that different countries use different recipes to make waffles. That opens your door of creativity, as well as your sense of taste. So, do you require a baking powder? Traditionally, baking powder was not on the recipe when making a Belgian waffle. People only leavened its batter with yeast as well as the egg white. Currently, you can add baking powder in the recipe of the Belgian waffles but a small quantity.
People have always used baking powder when making regular waffles. Currently, the quantity of the baking powder used in making regular waffle is more than the one used in the Belgian waffles.
Patterns
The pattern is one of the primary considerations when checking their differences. The deep grid patterns of a Belgian waffle create in-depth pockets. Unlike the regular waffle, the deep pockets will allow it to hold more toppings. You can add more honey, chocolate, syrup, among others. With the varieties of toppings, each bite will be sweeter. Note that, the topping you put in either waffle will depend on your preferences.
Weight
Unlike the regular waffle, the interior of your Belgian waffle is soft and fluffy. It’s as a result of its airy batter. Its exterior is sturdier, allowing it to hold the toppings. The airy batter gives it more surface area, making them larger and lighter.
Costs
These waffles are available in different restaurants. So, if you crave them, you don’t need to make them at home, you can opt to buy. Do they cost the same? No. The Belgian waffle is large, has more topping, and takes more time to make. For those reasons, its cost is slightly higher.
Waffle Irons
The waffle iron you use when preparing the Belgian and regular waffles are not similar. Regular waffle requires a smaller waffle iron. The grid of the iron is shallow, making your regular waffle thinner and with a flatter shape. On the other hand, the Belgian waffle is large, thus requires a more significant waffle iron. Its hinges should be bigger, and the holes deeper. That will give the batter a room to rise since it has yeast. Such waffle iron allows your Belgian waffle to have an airy structure as well as a thicker shape.
The difference between the two waffle irons makes the regular waffle iron to heat faster than the Belgian waffle iron. As a result, it will take lesser time to cook a regular waffle. That means if you are in a hurry and want to make a waffle, consider making a regular waffle.
You will have a variety to choose when you go to the market to purchase a regular waffle iron. You can select waffle irons of different shapes and sizes, depending on your preferences. That’s not the case with a Belgian waffle maker. Its complex nature makes it hard to produce a variety of shapes and sizes. That means your choices are limited.
Crispier
If you love crispier waffles, then go for the Belgian waffle. Its outer part is crisper than that of the regular waffle thanks to the egg white and the yeast. It has a soft interior part. That doesn’t make it weaker. It will still hold different topping you want to include because of its sturdiness.
Can You Use A Regular Waffle Maker To Make A Belgian Waffle?
If you desire to eat Belgian waffle and only have a regular waffle maker, what should you do? You can still make your Belgian waffle using the available regular waffle maker. Note that your Belgian waffle will have many similarities with the regular waffle. So unless there is no option, stick to the respective waffle maker when making either waffle.
Final Words...
You have the option of enjoying both categories of waffles. You can also easily distinguish them. If you check their size, the regular waffle is smaller than the Belgian waffles. Their patterns are also different from the Belgian waffle having deeper holes. The size and design of a Belgian waffle iron make it possible to accommodate more toppings than the regular waffles. If you love crispier waffles, choose Belgian waffles. The waffle irons you use when making both is also different. Belgian waffle maker is sophisticated since it has deeper holes and bigger hinges. You will have a variety of options when buying a regular waffle maker, unlike when buying a Belgian waffle maker. The regular waffle iron heats faster, making it convenient to cook a regular waffle. If you decide to buy a waffle, you will have to incur more cost when purchasing the Belgian waffle, compared to regular waffle.
John DiBella is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, a cooking enthuthiast and a writer. When he’s not writing blogs about home kitchenware, he enjoys hiking, camping, sailing and cooking.