Which waffle style do you prefer: Belgian or Dutch?

You may eat an occasional waffle with tea as a substitute to a scone, or sometimes pick one up in a coffee break, but there seems little reason to believe that waffles can be as popular elsewhere. They are. Once you travel to Brussels or throughout the Netherlands, it’s commonplace to see market stalls of any size, fixed or mobile selling waffles.

Comparing Brussels’ style waffles are larger and have deeper crevices than traditional waffles. These grid patterns are also nicknamed dimples. It is no wonder local tourist guides recommend waffles as a suitable snack for travelling groups, as they can easily hold jams, ice creams and fresh fruit like berries and bananas on top, which won’t fall off easily. As such, people don’t need to worry about embarrassing themselves by dropping toppings in the street.

If you travel from Belgium to the Netherlands, you can also have a Netherlands-style waffle. These are different, since the Netherlands style uses baking powder instead of the yeast or egg white favoured in Belgium. Belgian waffles taste more soft and crispy, while waffles in the Netherlands are made from a heavier batter with a chewy and sticky texture. Another prominent difference lies in the shapes used by Belgian and Dutch styles. The former is in the shape of rectangle and the latter is round.

Personally, I prefer the Netherlands’ waffle for its main ingredient of caramel, in fact, Dutch waffles are often known as caramel waffles. In addition, some minor elements such as honey, eggs and soybean powder can to some extent lighten the sweetness and make the snack more nutritious. In my view the caramel waffle is so impressive, it is a must to try one when travelling in Holland. I would recommend it becomes the fifth symbol of the Netherlands, along with tulips, wind mills, gouda and clogs.