Softpretzels Recipes

Steps:

• Make the pretzels: Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. (If the dough seems tight, cover and let rest until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Prepare the sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter drip off. Serve the pretzels warm with the sweet mustard sauce.
• Illustration by Jason Lee

Steps:

• Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
• In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
• Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Put yeast, sugar and water in bowl and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes and add salt, butter and 1 cup flour. Stir till smooth.
• Add rest of flour and stir till mixed well. When mixture is too stiff to stir with a spoon (or you can use an electric mixer with dough hook like I do), begin kneading. Knead dough till smooth and the dough no longer sticks to your hands.
• Place dough back in bowl and cover to rise to double it's size.
• While dough is rising, grease cookie sheet and preheat oven to 475°F Prepare baking soda boil by combining the 4 cups of water and 5 teaspoons baking soda in a non-aluminum pot and bring to a boil on stove.
• When dough has risen, punch down and knead a minute or so. Divide and roll into 6 inch sticks to about 1/2 inch diameter with your hands, or 12 inch long rolls to make into the pretzel shape.
• Allow pretzels to sit for 2-3 minutes. Place 1-2 at a time into the boiling baking soda water.
• Let pretzels boil for 1 minute and 10 seconds on one side, then flip them over and boil 1 minute and 10 seconds on the other side.
• This boiling step is the secret to firm skin and adds that definite pretzel flavor. Not boiling them long enough leaves them too soft and allows them to rise too much. Boiling too long makes them tough. Err on the side of not too long if unsure.
• Using a large slotted spoon, lift them out the of water, let them drip off and place on the greased cookie sheet. When all are done, sprinkle with course salt (Parmesan is good too!).
• Bake 12-15 minutes until the are a medium to dark golden brown.
• Makes 3 dozen 6 inch sticks or 1 dozen pretzels.

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Spray the 2 baking sheets with the cooking oil.
• Pour the warm water into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over the water and let stand for about 5 minutes.
• Stir until completely dissolved.
• Add sugar, table salt, and 1 cup of flour; stir until blended.
• Add 2 more cups of flour a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to blend after each addition.
• The dough should be well blended.
• Sprinkle some flour over a clean kitchen surface or board.
• Turn the dough onto the floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, sprinkling with flour if the dough is sticky.
• Pull the dough into 12 equal pieces.Roll 1 piece into a rope about 15 inches or any length you desire, depending on the size of the heart you want to make. Put the pretzel on a baking sheet and continue with the remaining dough.
• Beat the egg in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon of water.Beat together.
• Brush the egg wash over each pretzel using a pastry brush.
• Sprinkle the coarse salt over the pretzels with your finger.
• Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
• Allow to cool on a baking rack before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, butter, salt, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Cut each into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a 20-in. rope. Shape into a pretzel. , Place on greased baking sheets. Beat egg yolk and cold water; brush over pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes. , Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

Steps:

• Stir yeast into 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; beat in flour, sugar, shortening, and salt to make a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
• Place dough into a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and divide into 12 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a rope 18 to 20 inches long.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Shape each rope of dough into a pretzel on the prepared baking sheet; let pretzels rest for 5 minutes. Beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and brush yolk mixture over each pretzel; sprinkle each with coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pretzels are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Mix yeast, coarse salt, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl, whisking until sugar dissolves. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Mix flour and cayenne in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Slowly pour yeast mixture over flour mixture, stirring to combine. Using your hands, gather dough together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until it is no longer sticky, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic, and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Cut dough into 12 pieces, and roll each into an 18-inch rope. Form a U shape with 1 rope, and twist ends together twice. Fold twisted portion backward along center of U shape to form a circle, then gently press ends of rope onto dough to seal. Transfer to an oiled baking sheet, and repeat. Let rise for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add baking soda. Boil pretzels in batches until puffed and slightly shiny, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to wire racks to drain. Return to baking sheet, sprinkle with pretzel salt, and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Pretzels will keep, uncovered, at room temperature for up to 12 hours. Rewarm in a 250-degree oven if desired, and serve with mustards.

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix together to combine. In a large jug, mix together 300ml lukewarm water and the butter. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the water, mixing together to form a rough dough.
• Tip out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10-15 mins or until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and set aside until doubled in size, about 1hr.
• Once risen, knock out the air bubbles in the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a long rope about 60cm long.
• To form into pretzels, lay the rope in a U-shape with the curve pointing towards you. Take the two ends and cross them over.
• Take the ends, lift them backwards and press them into the curve of the U-shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Carefully place the pretzels on a baking tray lined with parchment and lightly greased with oil. Cover lightly with oiled cling film. Set aside for about 20 mins until puffy (not fully risen like bread dough).
• Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water, bring to the boil, add the baked bicarbonate of soda, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. One at a time, carefully lift the pretzels into the pan and cook for 20 secs per side. The pretzels will rise to the surface; flip with a slotted spoon.
• Use the spoon to gently lift the pretzels from the pan and return them to the baking tray. Once they have all been cooked in the water, lightly brush with the egg and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins or until a rich, dark brown. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Best served on the day made but can be frozen for up to 1 month.