Blueberry Tsingtao B33R Waffles

There is nothing quite like a Belgian waffle straight from a van on the street of Brussels. Yes Belgium is famous for its beer, frites and chocolates, all justified in their stellar reputation, but sometimes these ridiculously decadent yet simple waffles are overlooked. Also I’m not that much of a beer drinker, though I would never refuse a piping hot cone of double deep-fried frites or a box of chocolates from Pierre Marcolini, Neuhaus or any small family chocolaterie. These street waffles, are actually from Liége and unlike most, require no toppings whatsoever, since their inner chewiness combined with outer caramelisation and pockets of molten sugar are sufficient in satisfying almost any sweet cravings you may have. Almost burning yourself as you peel off the paper wrapper stuck to strands of caramel is part of the anticipation.

Deb of Smitten Kitchen actually has a great recipe for them, but somehow I never seem to get around to making them; my impatience with yeasted doughs and my unsuccessful attempt at locating pearl sugar in Hong Kong have so far been my excuse. I just want to hand over 2€ and get my piping hot Liége waffle now now please.

Since becoming the proud owner of a waffle iron though, I thought it was about time I found an easy waffle recipe that ticked all the boxes, delicious, fast and with some beer in it. If I was never going to bother with actual gaufres liégeoises, I should at least pay homage to the country with its national beverage.

So when I found a recipe for Beer Waffles in the beautiful new cookbook from our friends Lindsay and Dana over at FEAST: An Edible Roadtrip, I knew I was out of excuses.

After taking a road trip across all of Canada in a mission to discover and experience the country’s food and culture, these two friends collected beloved regional favourites to share with us and give us a taste of the diverse culinary wisdom Canada has to offer.

And if all the waffles of Canada led to this very beer waffle, surely it would be worth it.

Since we are in Hong Kong, I used a local beer for the waffles – the popular Tsingtao beer (青岛啤酒). It was the Germans who taught the Chinese to make beer; the brewery was founded in 1903 as the Germania-Brauerei by the Anglo-German Brewery Co. Ltd based in Hong Kong.

The actual beer was originally produced only in Qingdao in Shandong province, at the time a German concessionary. It is a well-hopped standard pilsner with 4,7% abv and was always advertised as being brewed with the mineral water from the Laotian Spring, though nowadays, this is no longer the case for those brewed outside Qingdao. Still it remains a local favourite, so it was perfect for my Hong Kong/ Canadian/ Belgian waffles.

And since our son Max is obsessed with blueberries (aren’t all toddlers?), I thought I’d throw some in for good measure. (as you can see most of the blueberries were gone before we even started)

The result was fluffy, crispy, chewy, juicy, light yet decadent waffles.

This waffle is in no way a consolation prize, it’s a winner all on its own.

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BLUEBERRY TSINGTAO B33R WAFFLES  \ˈbluːbəri tsingtao bɪə ˈwɒflz\

This is a Hong Kong spin on the original beer waffle recipe from the gorgeous new FEAST COOKBOOK via the 33 Acres craft brewery in Vancouver. It’s come a long way and is still just as delicious! 

Serves 4 (about 12 waffles)

2 cups (500ml) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (60ml) lightly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp (15ml) baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs, yolks and whites separated
1 1/4 cups (310ml) buttermilk
1/2 cup (125ml) Tsingtao beer or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60ml) browned butter, partially cooled
1 handful of fresh blueberries

For Serving 

Salted butter
Maple syrup
Ice cream

Lightly brush or spray your waffle iron with oil , and preheat it. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. 

In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks, buttermilk, beer, vanilla and butter. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

Pour the beer mixture into the dry ingredients and combine. Add in any additional ingredients you desire and stir to incorporate. (you could add a tsp of citrus zest, a pinch of dried herbs like rosemary or thyme, 1/2 cup of toasted shredded coconut or even some chocolate chips to make it even more Belgian) Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, just until blended.

Ladle about 3/4 cup (185ml) of batter onto the hot waffle iron. Make sure you adjust it to your waffle iron as they are all different and some require less than others. You might one to do one test waffle if you are not familiar with your waffle iron yet. Let cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot with a generous pat of salted butter and plenty of maple syrup.