Wafers - one of the most simple and accessible desserts which nevertheless pleasing variety of sorts. Fresh and sweet, crunchy and soft, with cinnamon and vanilla Vanilla: sweet tenderness With caramel and chocolate, nuts and fruit - which only the wafer has been invented. And what is especially nice, preparing this dessert is easy and fast, it is only necessary for the waffle iron and a minimum of product.

The history of waffles

The name "wafer" comes from the German «waffel». However, it is believed that the waffles themselves were not invented in Germany. Prototypes of this delicacy existed in ancient times, over time the recipe has spread. In each country, confectioners perfected recipe remained unchanged only way to wafer using metal molds which left impressions on the surface of the cookies. Initially, these imprints shaped like a honeycomb (in German «waffel» refers to cell and cell).

Over time there were more and more new recipes. Waffles were served without toppings or glued together in pairs with chocolate, caramel Caramel: sweet treat , Fruit jam, whipped cream or even ice cream. Waffles baked on the streets on hot pans sold in pastry, baked at home.

Gradually replace artisanal production was industrial. A candy factory prepared especially thin wafers with bland flavor that combines perfectly with different fillings. Fillings for waffles factory today are very different: chocolate, caramel, fat-nut, fruit, fondant. Furthermore, wafers are often coated with glaze, turning the simplest delicacy in gourmet dessert.

In XX century, waffles steel used as packaging for ice cream. Sweet sugar cones and wafer cups with a neutral taste have become not just a convenient container for ice treats, but also perfectly complement the taste of ice cream.

Product Features

The dough for the wafers consist of eggs, flour, sugar and liquid (milk, cream, or even plain water). Bake in a waffle iron is a treat. Before baking dish heated over a fire, and with the invention of electricity appeared elektrovafelnitsy and baking thin pastry cellular became simple and accessible to all owners of new instrument procedure.

Mix thoroughly and batter is poured onto a hot metal surface with a honeycomb structure. Top upcoming wafer covered with a second half mold. Just a couple of minutes, a subtle rosy cookies. Hot waffles can easily take the form of a horn or tube using special templates that are usually sold complete with a waffle iron.

Varieties

There are many recipes of wafers. The simplest recipe - it's just water and flour. Such fresh waffles are perfect for sandwiching sweet fillings. The main thing - to bake their very thin, almost transparent. Unfortunately, capable of such, not all waffle makers, usually this type of wafer bake a candy factory.

The dough is usually added to the eggs, and depending on the recipe, they can be whole, or just the yolks (such wafers will be particularly delicate, soft and rosy), or only whipped into foam proteins (for crisp light vafelek). Disintegrant dough by yeast or disintegrants. Added milk to the dough makes ready waffles softer cream waffles give a special flavor and tenderness, carbonated mineral water makes the cookies crumbly. Sugar can use regular or brown and cooked in powdered sugar wafers obtained melt in your mouth.

Also, oil is added to the dough, sometimes - ground nuts and sometimes raisins and other dried fruit (usually in the manufacture of soft waffles). You can make chocolate wafers, adding to the dough of cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger - the options are countless. Part of the wheat flour is sometimes replaced with rice, oats, corn and even buckwheat - all to make waffles original taste.

Interestingly, the tradition of waffle in different countries vary greatly. In the Czech Republic and the Netherlands make waffles sweet and round. Their sandwiches caramel and wafers before use is recommended to put on a cup of hot coffee. Rising from the beverage and steam will soften the caramel will taste it fully open. Viennese waffles porous and soft, they whipped cream sandwiches. The dough can be added to the English waffles oatmeal, butter and even vegetables. Before giving such an additional wafer sometimes roasted. American waffles are thick, dense and very hearty. Interestingly, they sometimes do not complement sweet and meat dishes.

Harm and benefits

Wafers themselves - be the natural product and not even too caloric - hundred grams of crisp (or soft, depending on the type of wafer) treats contains about 200-350 calories. Simple savory waffles have a small energy value, and their sweet cream sisters, of course, far more calories. But overall, the wafer in a pure form in moderation can afford, even those who are on a diet.

As fillers and toppings, they are very diverse. Whipped cream and chocolate, natural fruit candy and fatty stuffing, flavored with flavors and colors, caramel and fresh berries, can dramatically change the properties of wafers and significantly increase the caloric content. The most high-calorie sweet waffles, which include a large amount of fat (cream, butter, egg yolks, ground nuts, sour cream). A most harmful probably be considered wafer manufacturing filled based palm oil, to which are added colorants, flavors, preservatives and other non-natural ingredients. There is better to avoid sweets, baking waffles yourself, the more so today, using kitchen appliances, it can be done quickly and easily.

Maria Bykov

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