I have good memories associated with pretzels. Dates with mom, time at the mall with my uncle and aunt, hanging out with friends while chewing on the salty pretzels from the pretzel shop....
I love me some pretzels! They're versatile, delicious, and make any day special. So when Mary Frances came over to bake, as soon as I saw the easy looking recipe I was sold.
These turned out really well, and tasted the best right after I made them. It was just so fun to plop them in, watch them puff up, and then sprinkle salt all over.
1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. olive oil, plus more if needed
3 1/4 cups (16 1/2 oz./515 g.) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g.) baking soda
Coarse salt for sprinkling
Grainy mustard for serving
In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the 3 tablespoons oil, the flour, and kosher salt. Attach the dough hook and knead the dough on medium-low speed until smooth, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and brush the parchment with oil. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, then cut it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 18 inches (45 cm.) long. With each rope positioned horizontally, bring the 2 ends up and toward the center as if forming an oval, cross one end over the other, and press each end into the bottom of the oval to create a pretzel shape. Place the pretzels on the prepared pan, spacing them evenly.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Fill a large, wide saucepan with 7 cups (56 fl. oz./1.75 l.) water, stir in the baking soda, and bring to a boil. Gently drop 2 or 3 pretzels at a time into the boiling water (be careful not to overcrowd them). Boil for just under 1 minute, turning once with a large slotted spoon or spatula. Return the boiled pretzels to the baking sheet, top side up.
I love me some pretzels! They're versatile, delicious, and make any day special. So when Mary Frances came over to bake, as soon as I saw the easy looking recipe I was sold.
These turned out really well, and tasted the best right after I made them. It was just so fun to plop them in, watch them puff up, and then sprinkle salt all over.
Soft Pretzels
Taken from "Taste"
Baker’s Note
The baking soda added to the boiling water makes a massive difference in these pretzels. It’s what helps them turn gorgeous and brown, so don’t skip it.
1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml.) warm water (110 degrees F/43 degrees C)1 package (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. olive oil, plus more if needed
3 1/4 cups (16 1/2 oz./515 g.) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 cup (2 1/2 oz./75 g.) baking soda
Coarse salt for sprinkling
Grainy mustard for serving
In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm water, yeast and sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the 3 tablespoons oil, the flour, and kosher salt. Attach the dough hook and knead the dough on medium-low speed until smooth, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and brush the parchment with oil. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, then cut it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope about 18 inches (45 cm.) long. With each rope positioned horizontally, bring the 2 ends up and toward the center as if forming an oval, cross one end over the other, and press each end into the bottom of the oval to create a pretzel shape. Place the pretzels on the prepared pan, spacing them evenly.
Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt. Bake until beautifully browned, about 10 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through.
Happy pretzel making!!!!
