Category: Breads -

Pretzels     

Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 cups warm water
2 1⁄2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt

1 egg
Coarse or kosher salt

Water bath:
1 gallon water
1 tablespoon baking soda

Preparation:
In large bowl, combine warm water, yeast and sugar; let sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy. In separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture and mix until it comes together. Use your hands to combine into a ball. On lightly floured work surface, knead dough for a few minutes until a smooth, sticky dough forms. Place dough in oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 45 minutes.

On lightly floured work surface, divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, 18 to 20 inches long, about as big around as a finger. Twist each piece into a pretzel shape by placing the arc of the pretzel at the bottom (closest to you). Round the two ends so they’re facing the arc and twist them around; “paste” them to opposite sides of the arc, using a little water, if necessary.

Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Prepare water bath. Once boiling, use slotted spatula to transfer each pretzel into water and let boil for 3 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Drain on cooling rack and transfer parboiled pretzels back to parchment-lined baking sheet.

Heat oven to 400ºF. Brush egg wash (beat egg with 1 tablespoon water) generously over each pretzel and sprinkle with coarse or kosher salt. Bake for 25 minutes.

Date added: 2012-12-08
Number of visits: 2467