Preheat your waffle iron. Set it to medium-high heat (usually the middle setting on the dial). While it heats, place a wire rack over a baking tray in the oven on the lowest setting (about 100°C/200°F) to keep your cooked waffles warm and crisp. You should hear a faint click as the iron reaches temperature, and a drop of water will sizzle and dance on the surface.

Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk them together thoroughly for about 15 seconds. This aerates the flour and ensures the baking powder is evenly distributed. The mixture will look pale and feel light and powdery.

Make a well and add the wet ingredients. Create a deep well in the centre of the dry mixture. Crack the eggs into the well, then pour in the milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Using a balloon whisk, start stirring from the centre, gradually incorporating the flour from the sides. The batter will look lumpy at first, then smooth out. Stop whisking the moment you see no more streaks of dry flour — a few small lumps are fine. Over-mixing will develop the gluten and make your waffles tough and rubbery. The final batter should be thick but pourable, like a very thick double cream, and it will smell sweet and slightly eggy.

Brush the iron and pour the batter. Once the iron is hot, lightly brush both grids with a little vegetable oil. Pour about 120ml (½ cup) of batter into the centre of the lower grid. It will spread slightly as you close the lid. Don't overfill it, or the batter will spill out the sides. You should hear a gentle sizzle as the batter hits the hot metal.

Cook until golden and steam stops. Close the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the indicator light (if your iron has one) signals it's done. If you don't have a light, peek after 3 minutes. The waffle is ready when it's a deep golden brown and the steam escaping from the sides has significantly reduced or stopped completely. A properly cooked waffle will release easily from the iron when you open the lid. If it sticks, give it another 30 seconds. The smell will shift from raw batter to a toasted, buttery, nutty aroma.

Transfer to the wire rack and repeat. Carefully lift the waffle out with a fork or silicone-tipped tongs and place it on the wire rack in the oven. This keeps it crispy — if you stack waffles on a plate, they will steam and become soggy. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the iron with oil every second batch. You should get 4-6 waffles, depending on the size of your iron.