Hungarian Pretzels Perec Recipes

Steps:

• Warm milk. Remove from heat.
• Add sugar and stir until it dissolves.
• Add yeast and stir until it dissolves.
• Proof yeast (wait 10 minutes until mixture becomes bubbly).
• Meanwhile add flour, 1 teaspoon salt and butter to large mixing bowl.
• Mix together.
• Add yeast and continue mixing until ball is formed.
• Divide into 4 equal portion and roll into ball.
• Add balls to large mixing bowl, cover with towel and place in warm area.
• Let rise until doubled (usually 30 minutes).
• Remove 1 ball from bowl.
• Divide this portion into 4 pieces.
• Roll each piece into long rope-like shape and form into pretzel shape or cut into pieces for pretzel sticks.
• Place on oiled baking sheet.
• Continue until all pretzels are made.
• Whip egg and 1 teaspoon water together.
• Brush over pretzels.
• Bake at 375F for 10 to 15 minutes or until pretzels begin to brown.
• Meanwhile make salt wash.
• Mix 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon flour and 1 to 2 teaspoons hot water.
• This should be a jam like consistency.
• Brush salt mixture onto pretzels and bake another 3-4 minutes.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup of flour, yeast, sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 1 1/3 cup water. Let this mixture stand until bubble begin to form, about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt and gradually stir in the remaining flour until dough can be picked up and kneaded on the counter. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes, adding more flour if needed.
• Divide the dough into 6 pieces and let them rest for a few minutes. Roll out one piece at a time into a rope about 15 inches long. Loop and twist into that cool pretzel shape. Set on a baking sheet while you roll out the remaining portions.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Bring the remaining 3 cups of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Remove from the heat. Dip pretzels into the water bath for about 45 seconds, flipping over about halfway through. Place the soaked pretzels on a greased baking sheet. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl (or bowl of a mixer), stir together syrup, lard or butter, yeast, 2 cups warm water and half the flour. Add kosher salt and remaining flour and stir just until mixture comes together in a shaggy mass.
• Turn out onto counter (or attach dough hook to mixer) and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and supple. Cut into 12 pieces and let rest 5 minutes.
• Roll out each piece into a rope about 22 inches long. (For traditional shape, the ends should be thin and the center fat.) Lift both ends, twist them around each other once, then bring ends back and press them on either side of fat "belly," at about 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock. Then gently spread out "shoulders" of pretzel. Transfer shaped pretzels to an ungreased baking sheet. (Alternatively, form each piece into a round or oval to make laugenbrötchen, rolls.)
• Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a deep bowl, wearing rubber or latex gloves, make a solution of 1/2 cup lye and 10 cups water (or 1 part lye to 20 parts water); pour lye carefully into water to avoid splashing. Dip each pretzel in solution, turning it over for 10 to 15 seconds, and place back on baking sheet.
• Sprinkle pretzels with salt. Bake about 15 minutes or until deep brown. Remove to a rack and serve warm.