When it comes to Belgium's culinary gift bag of treats, Liege waffles may be one of its hardest to find.
Impossibly indulgent, the buttery-sweet oblong waffles are crisp on the outside, soft and chewy within, and feature a luscious, glistening coat of caramelized sugar that can be topped with things like fresh fruit, Nutella, and ice cream.
Childhood friends (and with a family of four kids each) Erica Brenay and Rachel Durling love Liege waffles. And when they couldn't find any in the Valley, the two decided to make the Belgium treats themselves by way of their food truck, Waffle Crush.
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Inspired by the Liege waffles consumed during their travels to cities like New York, the two Utah-born friends, who both love to bake, came up with the idea for Waffle Crush seven months ago.
"We pulled a bunch of recipes together then changed things and added things," Brenay tells me. "We made so many waffles."
And to keep them as much like the real-deal as possible, Brenay and Durling ordered 30-pound Liege waffle irons from Belgium, found a special high-gluten flour, and use imported Belgian pearl sugar.
"You just can't get the same taste and caramelization without a Liege waffle iron," Brenay says. "Some have a more yeasty taste, others are soft, but we feel like ours is the perfect combination. And they can be fussy to make. You have to get the temperature just right so the sugar doesn't burn."
Waffle Crush, which hit the road in early November, offers four kinds of signature Liege waffles (as well as a build-your-own option) that include one with a Biscoff cookie spread, strawberries, and cream; and another that's topped with Nutella, vanilla ice cream, and a stick of chocolate. Prices are $7.50 and $8.
Given that Brenay lives in Queen Creek and Durling in Gilbert, Waffle Crush stays mainly in the East Valley but occasionally makes stops in Phoenix and Scottsdale ("When the travel and kids thing works out," Brenay says laughing.) Find out where it will be next by checking out its Facebook page.
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