Whilst some people may have expected a post about Easter, I've really wanted to make these for a while, so I'm making them instead! This week I'm making pretzels - not the small, harder ones, but the massive soft ones! This type of pretzels has a very distinctive bread-like fluffy inside and a dark brown shine on the outside which provides a chewiness to the outer crust, not dissimilar to a bagel.
Whilst I haven't actually put a topping on my on my pretzels, but you can add seeds or salt if you want - its nice sugared too! This bread takes 45 minutes to prove, so you have plenty of time to shape and bake your pretzels so they're perfect!
The reason these pretzels and bagels have such a similar crust is due to the way they have been cooked. Both of the breads have been twice cooked, first poached and then baked after. The distinct chewy crust is obtained from the bicarbonate of soda added to the poaching water - remember that when adding it, all the water will froth up, so be careful! Whilst poaching, keep a very close eye on the pretzels as the two minutes are over in the blink of an eye, and you won't want them to get too soggy!
At first, looking at the shape of a pretzels may seem daunting, but a pretzel knot is surprisingly easy to do with the right visual cues! All it takes is three short steps, so I've added the three pictures below so that you have a guide when attempting to knot it - I don't think that writing "loop it round like this" will be very helpful without knowing what "this" means in context!
If you do end up making them, I'd advise eating them on the day you make them, as even in an airtight container, the day after they gain a sort of weird sogginess - not the texture you want in a pretzels , or any type of bread! Sometimes during the poaching you may find that the pretzels' shape distorts a little, but don't worry, once its out of the pan and on the tray, you can alter the shape - though be warned the dough will be very hot as it has just been in boiling water.
Soft Pretzels - From "The Children's Book of Baking Bread"
Makes 8
Ingredients -
- 400g Plain Flour
- 1 1/2 Tsp Fast Action Yeast
- 1 Tsp Caster Sugar
- 3/4 Tsp Salt
- 40g Butter
- 250ml Hand-Hot Water
- 100g Bicarbonate of Soda
For the Topping -
- 1 Medium Egg
- 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds (Optional)
1. Line the baking tray with parchment. Put the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a big bowl. Mix them together with a wooden spoon. Put the butter in a medium pan. Heat gently until the butter melts. Take the pan off the heat. Pour the hand-hot water slowly and carefully into the pan.
2. Then, pour the butter and water mixture into the big bowl. Mix well, then. use your hands to bring everything into a ball. Dust a clean surface with flour. Knead the dough for around 5 minutes, or until smooth and springy.
3. Oil a large bowl. Put the dough in the bowl. Cover tightly with a plastic food wrap. Put in a warm place for around 45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size. Oil a clean surface and your hands. Put the dough on the surface and knead for around 3 minutes to squeeze out the tiny air bubbles.
4. Heat the oven to 220°C/400°F/Gas Mark 4. Put 2 litres of cold water in a saucepan. Put a lid on and put the pan over a high heat. While the water is heating, cut the dough into 8 pieces. Roll one piece into a thin sausage around 70cm long. Take one end and loop it around like this (see first picture).
5. Loop the other end around in the same way (see second photo). Then, hold one end in each hand. Twist them around each other, so the ends swap places (see third photo). Pat the ends down, so they stick. Put the pretzel on the baking sheet. Roll and twist all the other pieces of dough in the same way to make 8 pretzels.
6. When the water is bubbling, turn of the heat. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Lower in 2 pretzels. Wait for 2 minutes, lift them out and put them back on the baking sheet. Do the same with the other pretzels. Separate the egg. Brush the egg yolk over the pretzels and sprinkle on any seeds. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until dark brown and shiny.
Please enjoy, and for those of you who are interested, why not visit my other post of bagels?!!
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