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Liège waffles are one of the two most popular waffle varieties in Belgium. These unevenly shaped, chewy treats are made with a thick, brioche-like dough which is sweetened with pearl sugar and baked in a specially-designed waffle pan. During the baking process, the pearl sugar melts and gives the waffles a unique caramel flavor.
Although the origin of Liège waffles is somewhat vague, it is believed they were influenced by French culinary traditions and made famous by the skillful Liège bakers. In Liège, these waffles are usually enjoyed plain, but they can also be topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, chocolate, or various fruits.
MOST ICONIC Liège Waffle
Lacquemant is a Belgian waffle originating from Liege. This thin waffle is made with wheat flour, cut horizontally in half, then filled and topped with sugar syrup flavored with orange blossom. The inventor of Lacquemant is Désiré Smidts, who first made it in 1903 and named it as a tribute to his former employer, Berthe Lacquemant.
Nowadays, it is a popular treat at fairs in the Liege region.
Hailing from Liège, this traditional dessert combines whole pears and a sweet, cinnamon-flavored syrup that is made with brown sugar, water, and sirop de Liège—a product made from fresh fruits such as pears, apricots, apples, dates, and prunes.
The pears are slowly baked in the oven until they are thoroughly coated in the thick, almost caramelized syrup. The dish can be enjoyed warm or cold, and it can be accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream or heavily-spiced speculaas cookies.
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Couque de Dinant are traditional Belgian cookies, famous for their extra-hard texture, so much that they are traditionally given to babies to suck on while they are teething. Their tooth-cracking texture is achieved by baking the cookies at extremely high temperatures (300 °C).
These sweet biscuits consist of only two ingredients - wheat flour and honey in equal amounts. The honey caramelizes and hardens as the biscuits cool down, so it is not recommended to bite into them - they should be broken into pieces and allowed to melt in the mouth.
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Originally made in Liège since the 18th century, boûkète is a buckwheat flour pancake that is traditionally fried in lard and decorated with raisins and brown sugar. The pancake can be served either hot or cold, and is often drizzled over with sirop de Liège.
The name boûkète is derived from the Dutch boekweit, denoting a type of buckwheat. This sweet treat is especially popular during the festive winter season, when it is recommended to pair the pancakes with a glass of mulled wine.
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