Egg waffle

An egg waffle is a spherical egg-based waffle popular in Hong Kong and Macau and is an eggy leavened batter cooked between two plates of semi-spherical cells. They are best served hot, and often eaten plain. They can also be served with fruit and flavors such as strawberry, coconut or chocolate. It is referred to by its original Cantonese name, gai daan jai (鷄蛋仔), and in English, an egg puff, bubble waffle, eggette, egglet, and puffle. They are sometimes referred to as Hong Kong cakes in Chinatowns across America, especially in New York.

Egg waffle is one of the most popular Hong Kong "street snacks" and were ranked No.1 in a 100 most popular HK street snack listing. They have been a favoured street snack since their emergence in the 1950s, when they were made with coal fire heating and sold from street kiosks in Hong Kong.

History

The origins of the egg waffle or gai daan jai (which literally translates to "little chicken egg") are unknown, despite being ingrained in the memories of Hong Kong residents young and old. "One story says the enterprising post-war generation created the egg-shaped mold to make up for an eggless batter, as eggs used to be a luxury. Another tale points to street hawkers who bought damaged eggs on the cheap to work them into a batter, resulting in the classic golden color of the cake. It also is reasonable to suggest that the special iron skillet used to mold the gai daan tsai is a Hong Kong take on the traditional checkered European waffle press. Today, the two related snacks are often sold by the same stall."