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Waffles should be crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. Most homemade ones are uniformly soft, which is pleasant but is really just pancake in a different shape. Three things get you the crisp edge.
1. A little cornflour
Swapping a couple of tablespoons of the flour for cornflour lowers the gluten and gives a noticeably crisper crust. It is a small change with an obvious result.
2. Let the batter rest
Ten minutes on the counter. The flour hydrates fully and the raising agent gets going, and you get a better rise and a lighter interior. Batter used immediately is heavier.
As with pancakes, do not beat it smooth — fold until the flour just disappears and leave the lumps.
3. Do not stack them
This is the one that catches everyone. Waffles stacked on a plate steam each other and the crisp surface is gone within a minute.
Put them in a single layer on a wire rack in a low oven — about 110°C/225°F — while you cook the rest. Air circulates underneath, they stay crisp, and everyone eats at the same time instead of in relay.
Freezing, and why it is worth it
Waffles freeze better than almost any other breakfast. Cool completely, freeze flat on a tray, then bag. They reheat straight from frozen in a toaster in a couple of minutes and come out crisper than they went in.
A double batch on Sunday covers weekday breakfasts. Best quality within two to three months, in line with general freezer guidance for baked goods.
Savoury, if you want dinner
Leave out the sugar and vanilla, stir 75g of grated cheese and some chopped chives into the batter, and serve with a fried egg. Breakfast for dinner is a legitimate weeknight strategy.
