Recipe courtesy of Scott Leibfried
Pretzels
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 18 pretzels
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 18 servings
- Calories
- 82
- Total Fat
- 3
- Saturated Fat
- 0
- Carbohydrates
- 13
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 1
- Protein
- 3
- Cholesterol
- 9
- Sodium
- 428
- Total: 1 hr 14 min
- Prep: 24 min
- Inactive: 20 min
- Cook: 30 min
Ingredients
For the sponge: (The sponge is a fermentation of the yeast, flour, and water. It will later be fed with the remaining ingredients to form the dough)
1 ounce dried yeast
4 ounces tap water
Bread flour
For the dough:
4 ounces tap water
1 ounce yeast
1/2 ounce sugar
1 ounce vegetable oil
1/2 ounce salt
Bread flour
For the poaching liquid:
1 quart water
1/2 ounce salt
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 cups cornmeal or corn flour
1 egg, beaten with salt and 1 ounce water
Sesame seeds, salt or cracked pepper, for seasoning
Directions
- For the Sponge:
- Dissolve the yeast in the water in a large mixing bowl that will later be the bowl for the mixing machine. Add enough bread flour to create a pancake batter consistency. Lightly cover with plastic and store at room temperature for 4 to 24 hours.
- For the dough:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer that is fitted with a dough hook, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the sponge from above. Add sugar, vegetable oil and salt. Start the mixer and add flour, 2 cups at a time, until the mixture forms a dough ball that doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl and starts to climb up the dough hook. Transfer to a lightly floured table and knead for 10 minutes by hand. Cover and let the dough rest and proof to twice the size, about 45 minutes.
- Push the dough back down, and form pretzel sticks by rolling the dough thin with your hands. Twist into pretzel shapes. Line the finished pretzels on a baking sheet so they do not touch or stick together. Allow them to proof at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- For the poaching liquid:
- Bring the water to a medium boil. Add the salt and baking soda. Poach the pretzels for 30 seconds on each side and transfer to a baking dish lined with cornmeal. Brush with the egg wash and season with desired ingredients (sesame seeds, salt, cracked pepper). Bake until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before serving.