What do pretzels remind you of? They remind me of so many wonderful places, including the movie theater, the German Market, and now my kitchen. These are much simpler to make than you think and even more delicious once they are done. I have already eaten two while typing this (don't tell my fiance!) If you are a pretzel lover like me, then you should definitely give these bad boys a try, and try not eating them all like me, too. They will only take you about 20 minutes to make the dough and then 15 minutes to cook in the oven. Go ahead, knock your socks off!
*Makes: 14 pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (375ml) warm water
- 1 packet (2 and 1/4 teaspoons) active instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 4 1/4 cups (550g) all-purpose flour (plus more for kneading)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 large egg, beaten
- course sea salt for sprinkling
- granulated sugar for sprinkling
Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Line baking sheet (I needed 2 baking sheets) with parchment paper, foil, or silicone baking mat. Spray with cooking spray if needed and set aside.
Step 2: Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Stir with a spoon until mixed (about 1 minute). Some clusters of yeast will remain which is fine. Add your salt and sugar; stir until combined (another 3 minutes). Pour your yeast mixture in a large bowl so that it is easy to add and mix in your flour.
Step 3: Slowly add the flour, a handful at a time. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough is thick. Add in your honey while your mixture is still a littler runny. Keep adding the flour until the dough is no longer sticky (I used all 550g of flour). If it is still sticky, add a tablespoon at a time. Poke the dough with your finger - if it bounces back, it is ready to knead.
Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes and shape into a ball. With a sharp knife, cut the ball of dough into 1/2-1 inch width pieces. This measurement does not have to be exact - use as much or little dough for each pretzel as you wish - the size of the pretzel is completely up to you.
Step 5: Roll the dough into a rope with an even diameter. My ropes were about 10 inches long, give or take some inches (whether you want them small or large). Once you have your rope, take the ends and face them upwards so that it forms a horseshoe, then fold the ends inward to form a heart shape (this is the easier way, you can also twist the ends but I liked this way!)
Step 6: In a small bowl, beat the egg and pour into a shallow bowl. Dunk the shaped pretzel into the egg wash (both sides) or you can use a brush (but it's a little more difficult considering you have to lather both sides). Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and sugar (or just salt, up to you). Bake for 10 minutes at 425F/200C. Turn the oven to broil and bake for 3-6 more minutes to brown the tops. Watch closely to avoid burning because mine only took about 4 minutes, but it really depends on how dark you want them.
Step 7: Allow to cool on a wire rack and enjoy! (oh yeah, and they are the best when served warm, right out of the oven!)
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