History

Meert has traded on Rue Esquermoise since 1761 and is one of the oldest patisseries in France still working. The filled waffle became its signature after Michael Paulus Gislinus Meert, a confectioner of Belgian origin, took the house over in 1849. By 1864 Meert was an official supplier to Leopold I of Belgium, and Charles de Gaulle, born a few streets away, had them sent to the Elysee. The waffle is flat rather than deep, and is meant to be eaten at room temperature rather than hot.

Common allergens: Gluten, Milk, Eggs

Make it at home

Yield Makes 12Hands-on 40 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g plain flour
  • 10g fresh yeast
  • 200ml warm milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 200g butter, softened
  • 1 pinch salt
  • For the filling: 200g softened butter
  • 300g icing sugar
  • 2 vanilla pods, seeds scraped
  • 2 tablespoons rum

Method

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and leave for 10 minutes until foaming.
  2. Work the flour, sugar, salt, eggs and yeasted milk to a soft dough, then beat in the butter.
  3. Cover and prove for 1 hour until doubled.
  4. Divide into 12 pieces, flatten each into an oval and cook in a hot waffle iron for 2 minutes until pale gold.
  5. Beat the filling butter with the icing sugar, vanilla seeds and rum until light.
  6. Split each waffle horizontally with a serrated knife while still warm and spread the filling inside.
  7. Press back together and leave to set for at least an hour before eating.

Tip from the editors. Split the waffles while warm and fill them cool. Hot waffles melt the butter straight out of the seam.

Where to eat gaufre fourrée

Gaufre fourrée in Lille

Méert ★ 4.7

Bakery€€Vieux-LilleMon 14:00-19:00; Tue-Sat 10:00-19:30; Sun 09:00-19:00Walk-in onlyVanilla-filled flat waffle

Méert has traded on Rue Esquermoise in Lille since 1761, and its flat waffle filled with Madagascar vanilla sugar is still the counter's signature.

Tip: The waffle is meant to be eaten at room temperature, not hot. The tea room at the same address opens at 12:00 Tuesday to Friday and at 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

Worth the queue: The Méert waffle

27 Rue Esquermoise, 59000 Lille

Boulangerie Brier ★ 4.3

Bakery€€Vieux-LilleMon-Sat 07:30-19:30; closed SundayWalk-in onlyRegional pastry

Boulangerie Brier on Rue Esquermoise in Lille bakes the regional canon, cramique au sucre, palet de dame and a vanilla-filled gaufre of its own.

Tip: This is the cheaper place to try a gaufre fourrée before you queue at the famous one up the street.

Worth the queue: Gaufre fourrée à la vanille

118 Rue Esquermoise, 59000 Lille

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