The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

form of soda water? It’s a trick that New Englanders have
used forever: the beer in beer-battered fish is just as much
about the leavening power of the bubbles as it is about the
flavor of the ale. Even the Japanese use soda water to
achieve an extra-light tempura. Using soda water does cut
back a little on the flavor of the waffles, but it’s not too
noticeable, and it’s a compromise I’m willing to make in the
name of superior texture. A dash of vanilla (or orange
liqueur, or even maple extract and bacon, if you’d like) adds
plenty of flavor to keep you distracted. It’s important that
you use ice-cold club soda. Cold liquids retain carbonation
better, and you want the batter to stay as bubbly as possible
until it starts cooking. Club soda is superior to seltzer water
in this case, because it contains sodium, which also helps it
to retain its bubbles.
Crispness is all about dehydration and the setting of
proteins, both things that are accomplished through heat and
time. The key to extra-crisp waffles? Just cook them a little
more slowly for a little bit longer. Not only does this lead to
superior texture, it also serendipitously results in more even
browning