Pretzels or bretzels?
Pretzels or bretzels? In the United States they say pretzels; in Germany, where they originate, bretzels or brezels. You get that characteristic dark sheen by dipping the baked goods in boiling water with baking soda and sugar.
You can find them in all kinds of sizes, from small snacks to the enormous, soft pretzels you can buy on the streets of New York. This is a recipe for plain pretzels to serve as a snack. Making the small ones is a bit fiddly, but they are crunchier than the large ones.
Method
Dissolve the yeast in a little lukewarm water with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the salt. Then add the rest of the water, work in the flour and make a smooth dough. Knead it for at least five minutes, until it is smooth and elastic.
Greasing
Grease a bowl with 1/2 tablespoon of oil and place the dough in it. Make sure the dough is coated with oil all over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour. Divide the dough into two halves. Divide each half into 20 or 40 pieces (large or small pretzels). Grease a baking sheet with ½ tablespoon of oil.
Rolling
Roll the pieces of dough into sausages 30 to 35 cm long and shape them into pretzels. Press the ends together firmly. Place the pretzels on the greased baking sheet and let them rise again for thirty minutes, preferably covered with plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 175 °C.
Boiling
Bring water to a boil in a wide pan or wok and add the baking soda and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Immerse the pretzels in batches and let them simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size. Also pour the cooking liquid over the tops.
Remove the pretzels from the pan with a slotted spoon and place them on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Let the outside dry slightly.
Baking
Brush the pretzels with beaten egg and sprinkle them with sea salt. Let them bake in the center of the oven for thirty to forty-five minutes, until cooked through and crisp. Soft pretzels need less time (ten minutes less). Let them cool on a wire rack and store them in an airtight box or bag.
Title: Limonade, fris & snacks
Author: Tove Nilsson
Price: € 17,50
Publisher: Good Cook
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