A Chinese egg waffle is basically a round-shaped egg-shaped waffle commonly found in Hong Kong and Macau, and which is the egg-yolk leavened dough cooked on two matching plates of half-spoon-shaped cells. They’re usually eaten hot and also occasionally served plain, though they can also be served with different flavours and fruit like strawberry, coconut or vanilla. It’s the basic structure and form that distinguish a Chinese waffle from the European waffles we’re used to. However, because there are many different variations within this family of waffles, it’s also possible to find a variety of different names and what they look like, and even to order them in different ways from place to place! This article will aim to describe the popular varieties of waffles as we know them today, and discuss some of the alternatives to these classic waffles, and explore some of the reasons why people like them so much!
What is the most common variation?
As mentioned above, the most common variation within this family of egg waffles is their shape; and as such there are over 60 different types known. The most traditional type of waffle is the regular egg white omelette (also called an omelette Bianco) served warm. There are variations of this, but one of the most popular is the chocolate egg waffle, which gets its name from the rather rich chocolate flavour of the ingredients, and the fact that they’re usually topped with ice cream or milk cream (sometimes even a banana, although I don’t recommend this! ).
Another variation of the egg waffle recipe we’ll talk about here is the flavoured waffles, which can come in all sorts of interesting flavours, like fruit, maple syrup or even fruit flavours. Some examples are blueberry waffles, cherry waffles, lemon waffles, orange waffles and strawberry waffles. These can be topped with cream cheese and/or marmalade, and sometimes also with strawberries or other fruits. And of course, there are all sorts of different recipes, including those that are made without eggs at all, but with different types of flour.
For example, waffles can come in a waffle sandwich, a giant waffle, Belgian waffles, Liege-waffle (Belgian waffles with raisins between the dough), German (Lechwurst) waffles and even poached waffles. All these have their own unique style and way of preparation but are usually made by beating the egg batter to the butter and then pouring it into a mould. This mould is then cooked in the oven, sometimes outside, sometimes inside, until it becomes pudgy and soft – which is then sliced into wedges. These are then served hot. It’s important to ensure that you use a decent quality non-stick frying pan (baking stone is ideal) in order to avoid burning, as well as ensuring that the eggs don’t stick to the sides of the mould.
Hankering for Waffles
There are some other interesting twists on an egg waffle, especially in the Chinese community where it is commonly known as “hankering” for chocolate or honeycomb-shaped waffles. These waffles are made from beaten eggs and are then combined with flavours such as honey, mint, lemon zest, honeycomb and even jasmine. These can be added to the batter at room temperature before being laid out to cook on a hot griddle or even in the microwave. Be careful that you don’t overheat the waffles, as they have a tendency to fall off the heat source rather quickly.
Finally, there are the yummies. Yes, the Chinese have their versions of the waffle, such as the gai daan jai cakes and, believe it or not, even ice cream sandwiches. The main ingredient is the melted chocolate which is then mixed with some fruits or nuts to give a variety of flavour profiles. These melt in your mouth treats are not to be missed and can be incorporated into any number of different recipes!