Well, anyone familiar with "Crazy" Joe Walsh is familiar with the incredible talent he possesses. I know this as a rock guitar affectiando, but I was blown away Friday night, the the afore mentoned, Mr Joe Walsh.
(not my picture..because all of mine came out CRAPPY..damn cheap phone!!)
The highlight of the show?? So may to choose from (including my pretzel)..but it would have to be the searing 7 minute rendition of Turn to Stone...and that's not even my favoirite song by Joe. I loved Rocky Mountain Way..which the entire place sang LOUD..lol...and of course the new stuff, Analog Man, Just Lucky That Way, and One Day at a Time...which I sang incredibly LOUD! And a shout out to the gentleman who felt the need to kiss me... hahaha...ok, exactly HOW drunk was he...we will never know!
South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset is an awesome venue..you are close to the artist..well we were close..and its worth the extra money...honest and true. For Joe's concert, we had great seats down front..that being said it was HOT AS HELL in the tent..I have no idea who the genius was who decided to keep the tent flaps around the sides DOWN, thus holding in the heat...but there is something about listening to great music LOUD, and being drenched in sweat that is ohh so reminiscent of summer of 79! I dont even mind paying $3.50 for a bottle of water since the profit goes to South Shore Playhouse Associates, a not-for- profit organization that supports arts and education programs in
Southeastern Massachusetts. Profits from the venue are reinvested into the
community through SSPA.
Now, myself I indulged in a pretzel and a bottle of water. Joe and pretzels..how much better can it get (Doug and bacon..maybe) Got me thinking..how about a blog on pretzels...you know the soft yummy ones..not the mass produced hard rock kind generally eaten in a fugue state while watching TV or playing on the computer. So I did my research, as a good doobee does...and presented you with some incredibly awesome recipes, as always!
You no longer need to hang around concert venues or street corners waiting for dubiously sanitary vendors to fill any pretzel yens you may harbor. Thanks to the magic of gluten flour, you can make these blown-up chewy (not crunchy) versions of the familiar hard pretzel. They are a wonderfully satisfying, salty, yeasty, wheaty snack.
First the boring stuff...I told you I would expand your mind..now READ!!!
Origins of the Mighty Pretzel..
OK, so somewhere over the last 2,000 years in Europe the comestible we now call pretzels were “invented.” Let’s twist some more. How did it get its shape and what does a pretzel symbolize?
Well, first there’s the notion that an ancient cult of sun worshippers formed a circle of dough around a cross but this was too fragile a configuration so it was amended into the current form. The monks who supposedly created the pretzel in 610 allegedly crossed the dough strands to represent children with their arms crossed learning their prayers.
Pretzels were popular with Christians at lent since they were devoid of any forbidden ingredients. Moreover, the three holes came to signify the trinity. In Germany, Catholics would form palms into pretzel shapes for Palm Sunday. Pretzels were thought to bring luck, prosperity and spiritual wholeness. They were considered particularly lucky on New Year’s.
Finally, some accounts claim that the marital expression “tying the knot” emanates from the pretzel shape and denotes everlasting love. Love struck German boys would paint a pretzel on the door of their beloved. In Luxembourg, on “Pretzel Day,” it is customary to give your inamorata a pretzel or pretzel shaped cake.
So it appears then that the meaning of the pretzel shape is as multifaceted as its origins. Tired of drifting through all the twists? Let’s straighten out a little by discussing what is clear cut.
A pretzel is a baked pastry product made from dough that can be soft or hard, (although originally it tended to be chewier). Cooking time and the amount of moisture in the dough determines its hardness. The name pretzel comes from the German bretzel which in turn comes from the Latin brachium which means arm. Some cite this as evidence for the “crossed-arms” theory of the pretzel’s meaning.
The pretzel was introduced to America by German immigrants in the 18th century and flourished in the areas populated by the Pennsylvania Dutch. The first commercial pretzel enterprise in America was the Sturgis’ Bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania which began in 1861. Pennsylvania currently produces 80% of our country’s pretzels. While pretzels are traditionally salted, there are also sweet varieties coated with glazes and other flavoring elements such as chocolate, yogurt and fruit. But I think nothing beats a traditional New York soft pretzel with lots of salt and mustard.
An intriguing aspect of both pretzel and bagel making is that they are poached in water before they are baked. Many people are surprised when they first learn this. Indeed, the average person doesn’t equate a pot of boiling water with baked goods.
The reason bagels and pretzels are poached first is to set the outside crust. This renders the final crust thicker and crisper. It also adds density to its interior. Too long in the hot water however and the crust becomes too thick and the interior lightens. Typically pretzels and bagels are only poached for 30-60 seconds.
One final interesting anecdote about pretzels occurred in 16th century Vienna. The city was under siege from the Ottoman Turks. As the story goes, because the walls of the city were so well defended, the Turks attempted to tunnel under them. Pretzel bakers working at night heard the commotion and informed the authorities. The city was saved and the Emperor awarded the bakers a coat of arms. The pretzel is indeed a microcosm of the twists and turns of history.
NOW THE GOOD STUFF RECIPES...
OHH look!! You know those yummy "Aunt Annie's Pretzels" delights..well, your food diva found the recipe!! YAY, me!!
Aunt Annie's Soft Pretzels
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
to taste coarse salt
4 tablespoons butter (melted)
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
to taste coarse salt
4 tablespoons butter (melted)
Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope* (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in 450 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy!
Toppings: after you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt. Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture. Enjoy!
* The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be. (Of course I don't have the counter space!)
*Sweet butter, not regular butter, is one of her secrets!
I do have a hint for rolling your pretzels though....roll out your dough and set each aside while you roll out the rest. This will help the dough rest and make it much easier to stretch to the desired length needed. The rest makes it less springy and easier to handle. You will love this recipe!
Definitely try different toppings...not just cinnamon(although that is my favorite)..honey mustard, grated cheese and garlic...the mind boggles...
Some Secrets to Making Soft Pretzels-
There are two secrets to making great soft pretzels that I will now share with you. When making a yeasted bread product, bakers always like to feed the yeast a bit of sugar to give it a head start. That sugar can be in the form of honey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, even maple syrup. But the form that lends itself to the traditional soft pretzel is malt syrup-more or less the same stuff used in beer making. The malt syrup provides a subtle yet complex flavor that just says “soft pretzel.”
(where to buy Malt Sugar..my best sources tell me a Chinese Supermarket)
Secret #2: Poach The Pretzels In Alkalized Water
Secret number two is to poach the pretzels in alkalized water, or water with a high pH. The hot water provides the gelatinization necessary for a shiny, crackly crust, and the low pH encourages deep browning in the oven so your pretzels come out pretzel-colored instead of roll-colored. Your standard bag of hard pretzels get a bath in a lye solution. In the home kitchen, this can be more than a little risky, so a good substitute is baking soda, one of the most alkalizing ingredients in the kitchen. It’s cheap and readily available, and it works.
Pretzel Recipe #2 (for want of a better title)
These pretzels are made with the straight dough method. That just means that you put all in ingredients in the mixer at one time and then let it mix. Very easy.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. melted butter
- 11.5 oz. water
- ¾ oz fresh yeast
- 2¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ oz. malt syrup
- 22 oz. all purpose flour
- Egg wash
- Salt
Dissolve the yeast in the water, and then put all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. (since I don't have a dough hook...I mix by hand and knead by hand)
Start the mixer and knead on medium-low speed for 8 minutes.
When the dough is soft and springy, remove it from the mixer, put it in a large greased bowl. Spray the top of the dough with a little vegetable oil to keep a skin from forming. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
Once the dough has doubled in volume, gently press out the gasses. Divide the dough into 3 oz. pieces. This recipe makes about 12 pretzels, so if you don’t want to weigh the dough, divide the dough in thirds and divide each third into fourths.
Roll each piece of dough into a 2 foot long rope. Twist into a pretzel shape, or whatever shape you like, really.
Place the pretzels on two greased cookie sheets or half sheet pans. Do not line them with parchment. I learned the hard way that this is a bad idea. Trust me.
Put the pretzels in the freezer until very firm. This step is not strictly necessary, but it makes it much easier to poach them and put them back on trays without their losing their shape.
Once the pretzels are frozen, bring 10 cups of water (1/2 gallon plus 1 pint) to a boil with ½ cup baking soda.
When the water is boiling, turn the heat down some to keep it at a gentle boil, and place three frozen pretzels in the water. After one minute, carefully remove the pretzels with a large slotted spoon or a spider and put them back on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the pretzels have taken a 60-second dip in the water.
Whisk one egg together with a teaspoon of water. Brush this egg wash evenly on all the pretzels. Don’t glob it on; you just need a thin coat. At this point, you can sprinkle them with kosher salt, but it will tend to sink in, not giving you that cool salted pretzel look. They’ll still taste great. If you’re looking for a salt that won’t melt, you can certainly purchase pretzel salt through Amazon. It is inexpensive and goes a long way.
If you want to “fancy them up a bit,” so we used a light sprinkle of sel gris on the pretzels. This gives a wonderful result, but sel gris* is pretty expensive. It’s your call. You could also sprinkle them with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.
Bake at 400F until deeply golden brown (pretzel colored), about 15 minutes. For the most even baking, turn the baking sheets after about 8 minutes.
*sel gris- is a grey salt that is considered by many the finest salt available. Go figure..it's salt!! Grey salt is a “moist” unrefined sea salt, usually found in the Brittany region of France’s Atlantic coast. Its natural light grey color comes from the minerals absorbed from the clay lining the salt ponds. The salt is collected by hand using traditional Celtic methods and wooden tools. Grey salt has gained great fame in the mainstream culinary world in the last few years, and is considered by many to be the best quality salt available. It is available in coarse grain – which is the perfect finishing or pinching size, stone ground fine – ideally used at the table instead of processed salts, and extra fine (Velvet) grain – perfect for sprinkling over nuts or popcorn.
PHILADELPHIA SOFT PRETZELS (June asks..why Philadelphia??.. I expected cream cheese...I was disappointed)
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 1/4 c. warm water, divided (110 degrees)
4-5 c. all-purpose flour, divided
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking soda
Coarse salt
1 1/4 c. warm water, divided (110 degrees)
4-5 c. all-purpose flour, divided
2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking soda
Coarse salt
Dissolve the yeast thoroughly in 1/4 cup of warm water. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of warm water.Mix 4 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons salt in another bowl. Add the dissolved yeast to this mix. Add enough additional flour to make a stiff dough. Knead this for 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic.Roll the dough into a ball. Place it in a greased bowl, turning it twice to coat the top. Cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until it is double in bulk, about 45 minutes.Divide the dough into quarters, then divide each quarter into 4 balls of dough. Take one of the balls of dough and roll it between your hands to form a coil 20 inches long and 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter. Shape the coil into a pretzel shape, pinching the ends to the shaped pretzel. Shape remaining dough.In a pot, dissolve 4 teaspoons of baking soda in 4 cups of water; bring to a boil. One at a time, drop the pretzels into the boiling water and let it boil for 1 minute or until the pretzel floats. Remove the pretzel and drain.Place the drained pretzels on buttered baking sheets. Sprinkle the pretzels with salt. Bake at 475 degrees for 12 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Place on a rack to cool. Serve warm or cool pretzels with or without mustard.
QUICK HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS WITH CHEESY SAUCE (ok..this recipe is included because of the magic word "Cheesy" ..I would prefer spelling it Cheesey...but cooler heads prevail..and I drop the debate..for now)
1 cake yeast
1 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
2 tbsp. coarse salt (to sprinkle on before baking)
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 lg. egg, beaten
1 tsp. salt
4 c. flour
2 tbsp. coarse salt (to sprinkle on before baking)
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 lg. egg, beaten
Dissolve yeast in warm water, add salt and sugar, blend in flour and knead dough until smooth.Cut dough into small pieces and roll into ropes, twist into pretzel shapes and place on baking sheet.Brush pretzels with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake immediately in 425 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until brown.
CHEESY SAUCE:
Prepare a white sauce with 2 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, and 1 cup milk. Melt butter over low heat, blend in flour and cook over medium heat until bubbly.Stir in 1 cup milk slowly, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and starts to boil.Continue cooking 1 minute to eliminate the pasty flavor of uncooked flour. Stir 1 1/2 cups grated or cubed cheese in a little at a time until melted and thoroughly mixed with the sauce. (Use sharp or mild cheddar cheese.) Do not allow the sauce to boil while adding the cheese as the cheese could become stringy.Remove from heat.OPTION: A tiny pinch of ground red pepper or 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard stirred into the white sauce before adding the cheese perks up the flavor. This sauce makes a great macaroni and cheese dish by simply stirring in the cooked macaroni and serve immediately or bake the macaroni and cheese mixture at 350 degrees for 20 minutes for a slightly different texture. When pretzels are ready to serve, just dip them into the warm cheese sauce.HINT: For a less cheesy sauce, use only 1 cup cheese and in the sauce use only 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour to 1 cup milk. Sauce can be prepared ahead and just barely warmed when ready to use.NOTE: These are good served hot and plain, too.
MAKING PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH SOFT PRETZELS (...I am thinking Quakers???)
5 c. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. rapid rising yeast
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. very hot water
Salt dip
1 pkg. rapid rising yeast
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. very hot water
Salt dip
In a large bowl mix the above ingredients except (salt dip). Knead in bowl until combined. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Form dough into a ball, invert bowl over dough and let rest 15 minutes.Grease 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray. Divide dough into six pieces. On board, roll each piece into a 16 inch rope. Form each into a pretzel. Dip into salt dip and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt, cover loosely and let rise in a warm place (30 minutes). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until golden brown (15 to 20 minutes).
SALT-DIP:
In a pie plate, combine: 2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 c. water
CHEATERS WHOLE WHEAT SOFT PRETZELS (my name for these..J)
2 tbsp. shortening, divided
2 (16 oz.) loaves of frozen whole wheat bread dough
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tsp. water
Salt to taste (opt.)
2 (16 oz.) loaves of frozen whole wheat bread dough
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tsp. water
Salt to taste (opt.)
Grease a pizza plate or large dinner plate with 1 tablespoon of shortening. Place frozen loaves on plate and cover with plastic wrap or large plastic bag. Leave space above the dough for it to rise and expand. Place in refrigerator overnight to defrost and rise.When completely defrosted, cut each loaf into 12 equal pieces, 24 in total. Grease 2 baking sheets with remaining 1 tablespoon shortening. One piece at a time, roll each piece into a thin 14-inch rope.To twist pretzels: Pick up both ends of the rope and cross over to form rabbit ears about 1 inch long at the top and a loop at the bottom. Twist the rabbit ears and pull them down to touch the bottom of the loop, leaving a tiny bit of the ends overlapping the bottom of the loop. Place pretzels 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let stand 20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine egg white and water and brush each pretzel with mixture. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Bake 20 minutes or until pretzels sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven. Serve warm or cool. Makes 24 pretzels. Cool before storing in an airtight container.
90 MINUTE SOFT PRETZELS
3 1/2 c. unsifted flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 c. water
1 tbsp. butter
1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tbsp. water
Coarse salt
Mix 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. Heat 1 cup water and butter to 120 degrees. Gradually add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes at medium speed of mixer. Add 1/2 c. flour. Beat at high speed 2 minutes. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. On floured board, knead 5 minutes. Set in greased bowl; turn to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place 40 minutes. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into 1 (20") rope. Shape into pretzels. Let rest on greased cookie sheets 5 minutes. Mix egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water; brush on pretzels. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes 1 dozen.
ERIC'S SOFT PRETZELS (thank you Eric..whoever and wherever you may be...you will live on in infamy)
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
4 c. all purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. water
Course salt, sesame seed, or poppy seeds
Dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Combine next 3 ingredients; add to yeast mixture, mixing well.Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (approximately 8 minutes). Divide into 16 portions; roll each portion into an 8 to 10 inch rope. Twist ropes into pretzel shapes, letters, etc.; place on ungreased baking sheets.Combine egg with water; stir well. Brush pretzel with mixture; sprinkle on topping of choice. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 16 pretzels
Cheese Stuffed Everything Pretzels
It only takes one word to describe these pretzels... awesome! Of
course, I will continue to type because it's what I do AND because I can't actually just stop at the one
word. Soft pretzels are delicious on their own, this recipe adds cheese to the
middle and then adds poppy seeds, garlic, and minced onion to the normal sea
salt topping. Takes them to a whole new level. Just look at the oozy cheese,
the crunchy toppings... yummy..
This
is also a super easy recipe for those of you who are afraid of yeast... there is
no rising, punching, etc. This recipe also skips the normal soft pretzel step
of boiling the dough in a baking soda bath before cooking as well. This makes
for an incredibly quick pretzel recipe. You can these mixed, rolled,
shaped, and baked in under an hour.
Cheese Stuffed Everything Pretzels
Adapted from Guy Fieri, via the Food Network
Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 110 degrees)
2 packets active dry yeast
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 T sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 cups shredded colby jack cheese
Toppings:
1 egg
2 T milk
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp sea salt
In a large measuring cup, heat water and sprinkle yeast over the water. Stir to combine and let sit for about 10 minutes until frothy. Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with a dough blade, combine all dry ingredients and pulse to combine. Add egg and yeast mixture and pulse in short bursts until the dough comes together. Do not over mix, you just want the dough to come together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times with your hands. If dough feels sticky, add a little more flour. Form the dough into a ball and cut in half.
Roll out 1/2 of the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 12"x17", sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the colby jack cheese down the center 1/3 of the dough. Fold one edge over the cheese, sprinkle with another 3/4 cup cheese, and fold over the remaining 1/3. Pinch the edges of the dough to seal the cheese inside. Roll out the dough again into a rectangle about 11"x15". Cut the dough into six strips approximately 1 1/2" wide. Roll each strip into a tube and form into a pretzel shape by looping and crossing the ends over each other, then tuck back onto the loop and pinch to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine remaining egg and milk. Whisk to combine and set aside. In another small bowl, combine poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt. Brush the pretzels liberally with the egg wash, then sprinkle with spice mixture. Bake 18-20 minutes until light golden brown. Transfer pretzels to a wire rack to cool.
Adapted from Guy Fieri, via the Food Network
Dough:
1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 110 degrees)
2 packets active dry yeast
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 T sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
3 cups shredded colby jack cheese
Toppings:
1 egg
2 T milk
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp minced onion
1 tsp sea salt
In a large measuring cup, heat water and sprinkle yeast over the water. Stir to combine and let sit for about 10 minutes until frothy. Meanwhile, in a food processor fitted with a dough blade, combine all dry ingredients and pulse to combine. Add egg and yeast mixture and pulse in short bursts until the dough comes together. Do not over mix, you just want the dough to come together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times with your hands. If dough feels sticky, add a little more flour. Form the dough into a ball and cut in half.
Roll out 1/2 of the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 12"x17", sprinkle about 3/4 cup of the colby jack cheese down the center 1/3 of the dough. Fold one edge over the cheese, sprinkle with another 3/4 cup cheese, and fold over the remaining 1/3. Pinch the edges of the dough to seal the cheese inside. Roll out the dough again into a rectangle about 11"x15". Cut the dough into six strips approximately 1 1/2" wide. Roll each strip into a tube and form into a pretzel shape by looping and crossing the ends over each other, then tuck back onto the loop and pinch to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine remaining egg and milk. Whisk to combine and set aside. In another small bowl, combine poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and salt. Brush the pretzels liberally with the egg wash, then sprinkle with spice mixture. Bake 18-20 minutes until light golden brown. Transfer pretzels to a wire rack to cool.
Soft Pretzel Bites
Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt
For the cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.
To make the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt
For the cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.
To make the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
*If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites-instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese-about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*
PRETZEL DIPPING DELIGHTS
Honey Mustard Sauce-
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
1
tsp Apple Cider vinegar
Mix the mustard, honey, and vinegar in a small sauce pan on low to medium heat.
Once warm the sauce is warm, remove from heat and serve as a dipping sauce for
warm pretzels.
2 Cheese Cheddar Honey Mustard Dip
Ingredients:
In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Combine the all-purpose flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl.
Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the blooming yeast, and then add in the melted butter and garlic mixture. Mix on medium speed until the dough has come together and is smooth and elastic in texture and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.
Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cut into 4 equal pieces, and then cut those in half to form 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a ball and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Cover with a dish cloth and let them rest in a warm place for 12 to 15 minutes.
Once rested, lightly dust your work surface again and roll the balls into 7-inch logs. Place onto the other prepared baking sheet, cover, place back in the warm spot and let rest for an additional 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place one oven rack high and one low. Line 2 more baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil, and then add the baking soda. In batches, place the dough in the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side.
Using a slotted spatula, remove the logs and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the logs with pretzel salt as they come out of the water, to ensure the salt sticks. Then cut 3 diagonal slits on top of the bread, not too deep.
Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, rotating between the top and bottom racks of the oven halfway through the cooking.
1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
1¼ cups warm water
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups Occident flour**
1¾-2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
1½ cups water
Butter for brushing, melted
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, then add flours and salt. Knead well. Let rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the water and baking soda until the soda is dissolved.
Cut into strips and roll into ropes. Take a hot dog and wrap the rope around it. Dip into water/soda mixture and place on a parchment paper lined baking pan. Also leave plain for the hot dog rolls. Bake the hot dog pretzels in a 400° oven for 12-15 minutes.
** Occident flour is also called all-purpose flour, and is the most commonly used kind of flour. It is the most commonly used kind of flour simply because it is the most easily available kind of flour all across the United States (and Canada, I would bet). Another name for occident flour is white flour. Occident flour could be bleached or unbleached
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon half & half
1/8 cup honey
sprinkle of kosher salt
Combine the cream cheese and cheddar in a food processor and blend until well combined. Add the Dijon, brown mustard, honey, half and half and salt and pulse to combine.
Queso Poblano Sauce:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, poblano chiles, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place the queso sauce into a bowl and sprinkle with chopped poblano.
Jalapeno Cheese Sauce
1 T unsalted butter
1 T flour
3/4 cup milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated or minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
1 cup Colby Jack cheese
1/2 -1 tsp cayenne pepper
In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine, cooking about one minute until smooth. Add milk, whisking to incorporate. Add garlic and jalapeno. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir frequently until thickened, about 15 minutes. The sauce should begin to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Add cayenne pepper to taste.
1 T unsalted butter
1 T flour
3/4 cup milk
1 clove garlic, finely grated or minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
1 cup Colby Jack cheese
1/2 -1 tsp cayenne pepper
In a small sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine, cooking about one minute until smooth. Add milk, whisking to incorporate. Add garlic and jalapeno. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir frequently until thickened, about 15 minutes. The sauce should begin to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Add cayenne pepper to taste.
and I found these awesome variations of our theme:
Pretzel Hot Dog Buns
1 cup milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 packet active dry yeast
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small cloves garlic, grated
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup bread flour
1/2 cup baking soda
Pretzel salt or coarse ground sea salt, for sprinkling
In a small saucepan, heat the milk, 1/2 cup water, sugar and honey to 105 to 110 degrees F. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the water mixture and wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes until the yeast blooms.
In a separate saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and garlic and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
Combine the all-purpose flour and bread flour in a mixing bowl.
Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the blooming yeast, and then add in the melted butter and garlic mixture. Mix on medium speed until the dough has come together and is smooth and elastic in texture and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 7 minutes.
Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and form into a ball. Cut into 4 equal pieces, and then cut those in half to form 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a ball and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Cover with a dish cloth and let them rest in a warm place for 12 to 15 minutes.
Once rested, lightly dust your work surface again and roll the balls into 7-inch logs. Place onto the other prepared baking sheet, cover, place back in the warm spot and let rest for an additional 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place one oven rack high and one low. Line 2 more baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil, and then add the baking soda. In batches, place the dough in the water and cook for 30 seconds on each side.
Using a slotted spatula, remove the logs and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle the logs with pretzel salt as they come out of the water, to ensure the salt sticks. Then cut 3 diagonal slits on top of the bread, not too deep.
Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, rotating between the top and bottom racks of the oven halfway through the cooking.
This one is for Doug..Pogo lover that he is..
Soft Pretzel Doggies
1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
1¼ cups warm water
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups Occident flour**
1¾-2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
1½ cups water
Butter for brushing, melted
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, then add flours and salt. Knead well. Let rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the water and baking soda until the soda is dissolved.
Cut into strips and roll into ropes. Take a hot dog and wrap the rope around it. Dip into water/soda mixture and place on a parchment paper lined baking pan. Also leave plain for the hot dog rolls. Bake the hot dog pretzels in a 400° oven for 12-15 minutes.
** Occident flour is also called all-purpose flour, and is the most commonly used kind of flour. It is the most commonly used kind of flour simply because it is the most easily available kind of flour all across the United States (and Canada, I would bet). Another name for occident flour is white flour. Occident flour could be bleached or unbleached
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