Before the first use

1. Check that the voltage indicated on the appliance is suitable for your installation.
2. Check if handles are strongly fixed.
   
3. Remove the plastic and foam protection from trays and each stainless steel element.
4. Check fixations of removable stainless steel drip trays. The trays and pyramids can be easily removed from their fixations.
5. Additional option : insert Z system to block the opening to 115°.
6. The baking plates A and B are not interchangeables.
7. For waffle maker ref.52222-NR or 52223-NR : install the drip tray, below the cast iron plates and insert the Z system to block the opening.

Setting up

All “old” waffle makers Ampi® had to be annealed before first use but newer appliances arriving on the market are generally protected by food coating in our workshops and should not be annealed. It is important to check your instruction manual to know if this procedure applies or not.

For AMPI® waffle makers which shoud be be “coated”, please execute the following procedure:

Warning : Ensure that you perform this task in a well-ventilated area.
When setting up and using for the first time, the appliance may produce smoke which is normal.

1. Using a silicon brush, grease all the blocks with cooking oil as well as the inside edges of the cast iron.  
2. Close the waffle iron using the handles.
3. Plug the waffle iron into the mains.
4. Switch on the appliance and set the temperature to the maximum position (10 – 300°C/572°F). When this temperature has been reached, leave it to heat for about 60 minutes. Grease again several times with a thin layer.
5. Leave the waffle iron open to let it cool. While cooling, some surfaces may still be hot. Take care to not burn yourself. The cast iron will then be covered by a thin film of grease.
   
6. After this cleaning, grease again the waffle maker before to use a normal waffle dough.

Conditions of use

• Based on your recipe, prepare your dough. This machine is only designed to cook waffles.
• The appliance is equipped with a thermostatic control :
  • With a graduation starting at 50°C/122°F where each line is = 10°C/50°F.
  • OR with 10 positions. Each level is a multiple of 30°C/86°F. Examples : 4 = 120°C/248°F ; 5 = 150°C/302°F

Position 1 : 30°C – 86°F
Position 2 : 60°C – 140°F
Position 3 : 90°C – 194°F
Position 4 : 120°C – 248°F
Position 5 : 150°C – 302°F
Position 6 : 180°C – 356°F
Position 7 : 210°C – 410°F
Position 8 : 240°C – 464°F
Position 9 : 270°C – 518°F
Position 10 : 300°C – 572°F

• Before cooking, preheat the appliance to the temperature requested.
• At least 15-20 minutes are necessary to obtain a temperature of +- 180°C evenly on cooking plates.
• Switch button : when the waffle maker reaches selected temperature, the indicator light goes out.
• Recommended temperature for cooking : between 150°C/302°F and 190°C/374°F.
  Recommended temperature depending on the type of waffle.
• Recommended temperature for re-cooking : 80°C/176°F during max 30 sec. Only acceptable for Liege waffle.

TIPS

• A pastry release spray can be applied to quickly and evenly grease baking plates.
• When using a liquid dough like Brussels waffle :
  • When pouring the dough, fill the baking plate (A or B). Be careful to not overflow the dough over the edges of the baking plate.
  • After pouring the dough, close the waffle maker and do a complete 180° rotary of the machine. This distributes the dough and sugar evenly.
• When using a hard dough like Liege waffle : after half of the cooking do a complete 180° rotary of the machine. This distributes the dough and sugar evenly.
• To remove waffles from baking plates and to avoid burns, we advice to use a waffle fork.
• When there is too much caramel residues in baking plates, place a baking paper on the iron plate A or B and close the waffle maker : the sugar accumulated on the top plate will flow onto this paper. Repeat this action for the second plate.
• If a waffle sticks while it is being cooked, it may be due to the appliance which is too hot, too dirty or the coating food has disappeared. The solutions are :
  • The temperature should be turned down slightly and duration of the cooking increased
  • OR the appliance needs a cleaning (See paragraph “Cleaning AMPI waffle maker”)
  • OR it needs a new food coating (See paragraph “Cleaning AMPI waffle maker” -> “Coating application”).

After each use

1. Unplug the cable from the electric socket.
2. Leave the waffle iron open to help it cool. While cooling, some surfaces may still be hot. Take care to not burn yourself.
3. Once cooled, closed the waffle iron.

Cleaning AMPI waffle maker

Baking waffles causes a lot of residues (dough and caramel). This is why it is important to keep the waffle maker in a good state of cleanliness so that the appliance is always efficient. We therefore recommend the cleaning methods listed below.

Important : Never immerse an Ampi® waffle maker in water or any other liquid. Only removable stainless steel drip trays can be immersed, cleaned in water or in the dishwasher.

For the daily cleaning of the waffle maker

These operations should be performed as often as possible. The more you realize them, the appliance is keeping cleaned.

Ampi® scraper

The scraper is an accessory made specifically for commercial waffle makers AMPI®. The tool is designed to facilitate the cleaning of the waffle machine. It helps to collect residues (pearl sugar, dough and caramel) accumulated in the cooking plate.

Using scraper does not damage the massive cast iron. Our baking plates are designed to last despite the use of the scraper.

We recommend it to perform these 3 functions :

1. Re-centre pearl sugar and caramel between two bakings : Between two bakings we recommend to centre all the sugar in the middle of the baking plate (the most possible). Then after putting a ball of dough on your baking plate realize a a complete 180° rotary 180° of the machine in order to extract the sugar with the next waffles. The additional benefit is that it will give a crispy, crunchy and a golden coating to your waffles.
2. Remove sugar and caramel : you can also extract directly the sugar from the waffle maker mold by using a wet towel.
3. Clean the waffle iron mold : when you finish to work and the waffle maker is off but still lukewarm, wrap the scraper with a wet towel and realize a cleaning between the teeth to remove residues (pearl sugar, dough and caramel)

Potato starch

Valid only for Sugar Waffles (or Liege waffles)

Important: We don’t recommend potato starch for waffle irons for Brussels waffles. This process removes a lot of fat, and the Brussels waffle may stick.

Use a dough made of potato starch + water. It easily removes residues of sugar, caramel and dough in the plates. Here’s the procedure to be followed (estimated time: 10-15 minutes) :

1. Set the temperature of the waffle maker to 220°C-240°C (428°F-464°F) and let it reach.
2. Meanwhile mix ingredients : 120g of potato starch for 200ml of water. The mixture is liquid.
3. Open the waffle maker, pour the mix on baking plates A and B. Let the dough swell and thicken until no liquid is visible, then close the waffle maker during minimum 10 minutes.
4. Open the waffle maker. Remove and throw away the potato starch dough which will have absorbed the residues from the baking plates.
5. Do not forget to grease the waffle maker when starting the next baking.

We recommend that you do procedure when production is finished, before switching off the appliance. In this way, the machine will be in good condition to cook the next waffles.

If there’s a quiet time during the day and the waffle maker is clogged, we advice to execute this last procedure and do not wait until the end of service to carry out this very useful operation.

For the deep cleaning of the waffle maker

Perform these procedures when the cast iron plates remain dirty despite the maintenance and the two regular procedures described above.

Pyrolysis system

Important : This operation will create smoke, so be sure to carry out this operation in a well ventilated room. Watch out for the smoke detector in the room.

1. When the waffle iron is still hot, turn the thermostat to maximum (position 10 – 300°C/572°F). When the temperature is reached, let the residues burn as long as smoke is released (more than 2 hours if necessary). This operation will burn and reduce to ashes all organic matters still present on the cooking plates.
2. Switch off the appliance and remove the plug from the socket.
3. While still slightly warm, brush the waffle iron with a brush, dry dish brush (or a rotary nylon brush if necessary) to completely clean the cast iron. Including between the teeth / pyramids.
4. Wait until the cast iron plates are cool. Then go to the “Coating application” step below.

Coating application

It’s necessary to perform a heat treatment of the cast iron with grease.

Important : Ensure that you perform this task in a well ventilated area. The appliance may produce smoke, which is normal. Watch out for the smoke detector in the room.

1. The waffle maker must be perfectly clean (without dough residues, caramel, etc)
2. Turn on the switch and preheat the thermostat to 270C (position 9).
3. When the temperature is reached, using a silicone brush, grease with food grade oil on all the studs and the inner edges of the cast iron.
4. Close the waffle iron with the handles and let it heat up for 15 minutes.
5. For 1 hour, grease several times (in thin layers), changing the closing side.
6. Turn off the waffle maker and leave it open to cool down. During this cooling, some surfaces may still be hot. Be careful to not burn yourself. This will cover the cast iron with a thin layer of grease.
7. Be sure to apply grease generously before each cooking (for the first 45 cooking). This will complete the coating of the cast iron and will gradually grease
   and protect the cast iron.

Important: after the coating has been applied, do not clean the baking moulds with potato starch! You risk removing the grease

Where to use your professional waffle iron?

AMPI waffle irons are perfectly suited to intensive indoor and outdoor use. Thanks to the reputation of Belgian waffles, all busy public places will support a growing trade.