This article will tell you how to make thin crispy waffles with cornstarch by modifying your current thin crispy waffle maker recipe.
Use Cornstarch to Make Your Thin, American-style Waffles Crispier
Cornstarch is a fine, white powder made by extracting the starch from the endosperm of the corn kernel. It is a really popular ingredient to use with your waffles because it is low-calorie, gluten-free, and will give your waffles a crispy texture by preventing gluten from forming and absorbing some of the moisture that can make a waffle soggy instead of crispy.
Ingredients List
• 1/2 cup of cornstarch – Adding cornstarch to your pancake or waffle batter will make the exterior of your waffles and pancakes crispier. The starch granules swell as they absorb liquids, which creates a thickening network that prevents the escape of moisture and steam. Cornstarch helps to absorb the moisture in the batter, which results in a crunchier texture and more evenly cooked product. Also cornstarch is gluten-free so it is a good option for those with gluten sensitivities.
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour – The main purpose of flour is to act as a thickening agent and build a structure to hold the wet ingredients together which becomes your waffle batter. Many people might want to use cake flour because it is a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch. The only problem is that all-purpose flour has 10-12% protein while cake flour has only 7-9% protein.
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar – Granulated sugar is the most commonly used sugar because it adds the right amount of sweetness and creates a crispy exterior for baked goods including muffins and waffles. Granulated sugar is a white, crystalline powder without molasses that is made from refined sugar cane.
Brown sugar, on the other hand, is made up of both sucrose and molasses, which is a type of sugar that is found in cane syrup. Brown sugar is made up of larger crystals that will make the waffles dry and chewy.
Sugar helps to make baked goods light and fluffy by helping to retain moisture in baked goods, ensuring that they stay fresh for longer. Sugar creates a sticky environment that helps to keep the water in baked goods from evaporating. This is why cakes and other pastries tend to dry out quickly if sugar is not used.
The sugar caramelizes when it is heated to 338 degrees Fahrenheit which leads to the characteristic golden brown color and delicious flavor of baked goods. The more sugar you use, the browner the waffle will be, and the faster it will be finished browning.
Sugar also helps to leaven baked goods by allowing yeast or baking powder molecules to break down the sugar and release carbon dioxide gas bubbles more quickly. Sugar also contributes to the aroma of baked goods, providing an enticing scent that makes them irresistible!
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder – Baking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent that is a combination of sodium hydrogen carbonate and tartaric acid and is used to make baked goods rise. Adding some baking soda will increase the pH level of the waffle batter which will improve the flavor and browning.
When baking powder comes into contact with wet ingredients, it reacts with the acid and bicarbonate to produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms small bubbles in the dough or batter, which causes it to rise.
• 1 teaspoon of salt – Salt amplifies the flavors of the other ingredients in the waffle batter. Salt is generally added in small amounts so that it does not overpower any other flavors in the batter. Without salt, waffles would be bland and unappetizing. Salt also thickens the waffle batter, preventing the batter from spreading too much while it is cooking.
• 2 eggs, beaten – Eggs help to bind the ingredients together which creates the supporting structure and stability within the waffle batter. This will keep the batter together while it is being cooked, preventing it from turning into a crumbly or dry baked good. This is because the yolks of the eggs have fat content that will give the batter emulsifying capabilities that will bind the ingredients together and stop them from separating.
Eggs also leaven the batter, making it rise and become light and fluffy. They also contribute flavor and richness to baked goods, as well as moisture. When added to batters, eggs should be beaten well before being added so that they are evenly distributed.
• 1/4 cup of melted butter – One reason for adding melted butter to the batter is to add flavor and richness so that the finished waffle is more satisfying and filling. Another reason is that butter is a natural emulsifier that binds the ingredients in your batter together, resulting in a more consistent texture and preventing the formation of large air pockets.
Butter also contains milk solids and sugar, which help to create a crispy outer crust. Also the fat in the butter coats the flour in the batter which stops the flour from absorbing any water which prevents gluten from forming. This results in a waffle that is softer and more fluffy.
• 1-1/2 cups of milk – Milk is a common ingredient in waffle batter and there are many reasons for this including binding the ingredients together, making waffles richer, thinning out the batter to make the waffles lighter and crispier, giving your waffles a darker color, and preventing the waffles from sticking to the waffle iron.
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract – Vanilla extract can enhance the flavor of your waffles and make them more moist and fluffy. Also vanilla extract contains antioxidants, which can help to keep them from going stale as quickly.
Instructions for making the batter
1. Preheat your thin waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions in the PDF that you downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.
2. Pour all of the dry ingredients, including the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt, into a large bowl. Then stir the dry ingredients with a wire whisk to blend well and evenly distribute the ingredients.
If you prefer a crispier texture, then substitute some of the flour for a little more cornstarch. The substitution of cornstarch for flour will not affect the flavor and it will also add a bit of nutrition to your breakfast, as cornstarch is high in fiber.
3. There are a few reasons why you should make a well in the center of your dry ingredients before adding your wet ingredients. First, doing so helps to evenly distribute the wet ingredients throughout the batter, which means your waffles will come out more evenly cooked. Second, the wet ingredients will bind better with the dry ingredients, resulting in a more cohesive batter and lighter, fluffier waffles. Also it prevents the formation of clumps in your batter.
Add the melted butter and eggs first and then slowly pour in 1-1/2 cups of milk. Blend with a wire whisk until a thick batter is obtained and free of lumps. When you are making waffles, the batter should be thick but still pour slowly from a ladle or measuring cup. This will help ensure that your waffles turn out properly. If the batter is too thin, it will run off the waffle iron and you will end up with a mess. If the batter is too thick, it will not spread evenly on the iron and your waffles will be dense and heavy. Add more milk, if necessary, to make a thick batter with a pourable consistency similar to maple syrup. If the batter becomes too thin, stir in an extra teaspoon of all-purpose flour.
4. Pour 1/2 cup of batter per waffle onto the center of the preheated cooking plate. Then press down on the lid to flatten the waffle batter. Let the thin waffle maker bake the batter until you hear an audio beep, see the ready light turn on, or steam stops coming out of the appliance.
5. Remove the finished waffles with a plastic tong and place them on a cooling rack for a few minutes.
