Brezeln Pretzels Recipes

BREZELN - PRETZELS

Steps:

• Pour about half a cup of the lukewarm WATER into a small bowl and add the SUGAR.
• Sprinkle the YEAST on top and stir, then set aside.
• In the meantime put the FLOUR into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the soft BUTTER and the BAKING POWDER.
• Also add the remaining lukewarm WATER and then the yeast mix that you had set aside.
• Give it a short mix, then add the SALT.
• Now mix for 15 minutes, until the dough is very smooth and elastic.
• Let rise at a warm place until it has doubled in size (probably about 50 minutes to 1 hour).
• Knead the dough shortly with your hands, then divide it into 6 to 8 portions.
• Let rest for a couple of minutes, so you can shape the pretzels more easy.
• Take a dough portion and shape it into a string, where the center is significly thicker than the ends.
• Take the ends of the string in each hand and lift it up.
• Quickly cross your hands and move them back, while the string twists.
• Put the string down and secure the ends in place to finish the pretzel shape.
• Bring a pot with 2 liters of water to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and add 6 tbsp. of BAKING SODA.
• One after another, put the pretzels into the simmering soda water for 5 to 10 seconds.
• Remove the pretzels from the water and put them onto a baking sheet.
• Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt and let rest and rise for another 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C / 395°F.
• Bake the pretzels for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on your oven) until they have the right color.
• Enjoy fresh and with some cold butter or Obatzda (recipe on the blog)

AUTHENTIC GERMAN SOFT PRETZEL (LAUGENBREZELN)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Proof the yeast by dissolving it in 1/4 cup warm water and sugar for 5 minutes.
• Measure the flour into a mixing bowl, add the salt, the proofed yeast, and 1 cup of warm water. Mix by hand or with a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment until flour mixture comes together into a stiff ball. Add more warm water as needed to form the dough.
• Knead for 5 minutes and let rest for a few minutes.
• Add the butter and knead for at least 5 more minutes or until butter is fully incorporated. At this time, the dough should be firm and velvety to the touch.
• Form into a ball, butter all surfaces, and let rise until double, about 1 hour, in a warm spot.
• Place wax paper on a baking sheet.
• De-gas ( punch down ) the dough.
• Divide it into 12 (2-ounce) pieces. Form the dough into balls.
• Using very little flour, form balls into 1-foot long strands, thicker in the middle and tapering towards the ends.
• Take each strand and roll out again to form 2-foot strands.
• Twist into a pretzel shape, using a little water to make the ends stick to the loop. Experienced pretzel bakers can flip pretzels into shape in the air, but most people have to coax them.
• Place the pretzels on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour. This dries out the surface and makes them easier to handle.
• Make sure that you put on gloves and safety glasses.
• Place 1 quart of water in a plastic or glass container, weigh 1 ounce of food grade or reagent grade sodium hydroxide into a bowl, and add slowly to the water, stirring with a plastic spoon or similar object. ALWAYS ADD THE LYE TO THE WATER, not the other way around! For scientists: The lye solution will be approximately 0.75 M NaOH (FW 39.99g/mol) or almost 3 percent w/w.
• Remove pretzels from the refrigerator and dip each for 30 seconds in the lye solution.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a greased or parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
• Sprinkle pretzel with salt. Make a deep cut through the thick part of the pretzel horizontally with a razor blade or lame. Let pretzels rest for 15 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375 F. Bake pretzels for 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown.

GERMAN VANILLEBREZELN (VANILLA PRETZELS)

Steps:

• Sift flour with baking powder into a wide bowl.
• form a well in flour.
• To this add butter, cut into small pieces, 1 beaten egg, vanilla, sugar and cream.
• Work ingredients together with your fingertips until you have a smooth dough that sticks together.
• Form a ball, wrap in waxed paper and chill 30 minutes.
• Break dough off in pieces slightly larger than a walnut.
• With floured hands, roll each piece to a thin rope.
• Shape into a pretzel.
• Arrange on buttered baking sheet and chill 20 minutes.
• Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with chopped almonds, then sugar.
• Bake in preheated 325 F.
• oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
• VARIATION: The almond and sugar topping may be omitted and the pretzels baked and cooled, then spread with White Sugar Glaze.
• WHITE SUGAR GLAZE: For cookies and cakes, and especially for Lebkuchen, 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, 1 teaspoon rum or brandy (optional), 1/2 to 1 1/4 Tablespoons hot water, or as needed.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, flavorings and rum or brandy.
• Gradually stir in hot water, a tablespoonful at a time, until you have a smooth thick paste.
• Spread on warm cookies.
• If mixture cools and thickens as you work, thin with additional hot water.
• Sugar sprinkles can be scattered on the glaze before it hardens.
• Makes 1/4 cup, or enough to ice about fifteen 1 1/2 inch cookies.
• Visions of Sugar Plums.