Belgian Sugar Waffles

In the mixing bowl, add lukewarm milk, 1 tbsp sugar and yeast.  Mix yeast and sugar into the milk and set aside to activate the yeast for 15 minutes.  Into the mixing bowl with the activated yeast, add; flour, salt and vanilla and stir with fork.  Mix in the egg one at a time and mix well in between.  Using your hands, mix and knead in room temperature butter a tbsp at a time until well incorporated.  Cook’s Note: The texture will be more like cookie dough than batter, very thick.  Let dough rise in a warm location for 1 hour, it will have doubled in size.  Fold in pearl sugar into the dough, small amounts at a time to evenly distribute.  Preheat and grease waffle press and add a ball of dough into each well and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium-high heat.  Time will vary and will have to be adjusted accordingly, depending on the appliance you are using.  Make sure the waffles are cooked through, caramelized and crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.
Yields 12