It has snowed here a few times in the last week, and we've taken the opportunity to bake some delicious snacks (I made these twice already)! This was my first time making fresh pretzels, but I have to say they came out fantastically. The recipe is based on Alton Brown's recipe on Food Network. I also did some research in a few other cookbooks, blogs, etc, and came up with this recipe.
When I was getting ready to make this recipe the first time, I was curious about why you would want to boil something in baking soda. Strange, right? So, being the scientist that I am, I looked it up! As it turns out, that's what gives you the deep brown color on the outside of the pretzels. It gelatinizes the outside of the pretzel and lets it brown more deeply. Too much baking soda will make the pretzels bitter. Without it, these would be more like bagels or just bread. Real German pretzels are soaked in lye for this purpose, but I'm not willing to use an ingredient that requires me to wear gloves and safety glasses, so this is an excellent alternative.
Boiling in general also gives the pretzels a different consistency than baking alone. In this recipe, I tell you to boil them for 30 seconds, which gives them a slightly chewy consistency. If you boil for longer, the pretzels will have a chewier consistency; less time will make them a little bit lighter and more bread-like.
After folding and boiling the pretzels, it's time to personalize! We made a few different types of pretzels. The first were salted using coarse sea salt. They're basic and delicious: you really can't go wrong with salted pretzels. A second type we made were topped with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese... do it, they're fantastic! Don't be modest with the garlic powder. I tend to be heavy-handed with garlic powder and have never regretted it.
The last type we made were coated with cinnamon sugar. I made the mistake of coating them with cinnamon sugar before baking... don't repeat my mistake. They're still good, but the sugar gets very dark and you lose a lot of the flavor. You're better off coating them after they cook. As a dessert, they're also great coated with a simple glaze (recipe here). Go wild with your toppings and enjoy!
Soft Pretzels
Makes: 8 pretzels
Prep time: about 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours
1 packet (2.5 tsp) active dry yeast
1 ½ cups warm water
1 Tbsp sugar
5 cups (600 grams) bread flour
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
⅜ cup baking soda
Suggested Toppings |
|
Pretzel salt or coarse sea salt |
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese |
1. Stir together the yeast, warm water, and sugar. Let sit until foamy on top (about 5 minutes). If the mixture doesn't get foamy, your yeast may be dead and you should start over.
2. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and melted butter.
3. Slowly stir the flour into the well until a dough forms. Once a dough has formed, knead by hand on a floured surface until smooth (about 5 minutes).
4. Place dough in a clean, floured mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave in warm place until doubled in volume (about 1 to 1.5 hours).
5. Bring 10 cups of water mixed with baking soda to a boil. Meanwhile, on a floured surface, press dough out into a 12-inch by 12-inch square, then cut into 8 strips.
6. Roll the dough strips into longer strips, about 2 feet long. Form a "U" with the curved end facing you, cross the ends of the strip twice to make a twist, then fold the ends toward you. They should slightly overlap the curved part of the "U".
7. Boil the pretzels, one at a time, for about 30 seconds each. As they boil, splash some of the water over the top of the pretzels. Transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
8. Brush the pretzels with melted butter, then top with your selected topping.
NOTE: If you're going to top the pretzels with cinnamon sugar, coat them after baking. Coat with butter (for adhesion) then cinnamon sugar.
9. Bake the pretzels for about 12 minutes (until browned), then transfer to cooling rack for at least 5 minutes.