On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1045

Todaythedifferencebetweenwafersand
wafflesisamatteroftexture.Wafersarethin,
dry,crisp,andwhenhighinsugararedense,
almosthard.Themostfamiliarwaferisthe
icecreamcone;therearealsoFrenchcookies
calledgaufresthataresimilartoverythin,
crisptuiles.WafflescametotheUnitedStates
fromHollandinthe18thcenturyandare
thicker,lighter,andmoredelicatethanksto
leaveningbyeitheryeastorabakingpowder,
whichinterruptsthecookedstructurewithgas
bubbles.They’reservedfreshandhot,their
honeycombstructurefilledwithbutteror
syrup.
Modernwafflerecipesareoftenessentially
aleanpancakebattercookedinawaffleiron
insteadofonagriddle,andtheyoftenproduce
adisappointingresultthatismoreleathery
thancrisp.Crispnessrequiresahigh
proportionoffat,sugar,orboth:otherwisethe
batteressentiallysteamsratherthanfries,the
flourproteinsandstarchabsorbtoomuch


softeningwater,andthesurfaceendsup
tough.
CreamPuffPastry,
PâteÀChoux

ChouxistheFrenchwordfor“cabbage,”and
chouxpastryformslittleirregularcabbagelikeballsthatarehollowinsidelikepopovers.

Unlikepopovers,chouxpastrybecomesfirm
andcrispwhenbaked.Itprovidestheclassic
containerforcreamfillingsinsuchpastriesas
creampuffs(profiteroles)andéclairs,and
alsomakessuchsavorybitesascheeseflavoredgougèresanddeep-friedbeignets,
whoselightnessinspiredthenamepetsde
nonne,“nun’sfarts.”
Chouxpastewasapparentlyinventedin
latemedievaltimes,andispreparedinavery
distinctiveway.It’sacrossbetweenabatter
andadough,andiscookedtwice:onceto
preparethepasteitself,andoncetotransform