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Reason for Soft Pretzels Baking Soda Bath
Boiling the dough causes it to instantly puff, creating a chewy interior and giving the exterior a head start on forming a crisp crust. The baking soda also produces pretzels with a deep golden brown and cracked appearance.
Why pretzels are boiled before baking?
Read here (Fine Cooking) for the full story about “Baking Soda and Pretzels”
A pretzel, from dialectal German pronunciation, standard German: Breze and French / Alsatian: Bretzel) is a type of baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical form, with the ends of a long strip of dough intertwined and then twisted back onto itself in a particular way (a pretzel loop or pretzel bow). Today, pretzels come in a wide range of shapes.
Salt is the most common seasoning for pretzels, complementing the washing soda or lye treatment that gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor acquired through the Maillard reaction. Other seasonings are cheeses, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon, sweet glazing, seeds, and nuts. Varieties of pretzels include soft pretzels, which should be eaten shortly after preparation, and hard-baked pretzels, which have a long shelf life.
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Soft Pretzels Baking Soda Bath
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Bread Recipes
Description
The aroma of freshly baked yeasty goods is so appealing especially as an early morning bake.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Warm Water
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Package Active Dry Yeast
- 4 1/2 cups Bread Flour
- 2 Tablespoons Butter (melted)
- Vegetable Oil (for the pan)
- 10 cups Water (for boiling)
- 2/3 cup Baking Soda
- 1 egg (beaten for brushing)
- Pretzel Toppings (seeds etc)
Instructions
- Combine the warm water, sugar, salt, and yeast in the mixing bowl.
- Allow it to sit for 5 minutes until the yeast starts to foam and bubble.
- Add the flour and butter and mix at a low speed till combined.
- Mix on a medium speed for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable.
- Remove from mixer and place in a lightly greased dish.
- Cover and allow it to rise in a warm space for 45-50 minutes until doubled in size.
- Bring the water and baking soda to a boil in a pot.
- Portion the dough into 8 pieces and roll out each piece into a rope.
- Shape and place on a baking sheet.
- Drop the pretzels into the baking soda bath for 30 seconds.
- Drain and place back on the baking sheet.
- Brush with the beaten egg, sprinkle the toppings on.
- Bake at 180C for 15 minutes until dark brown.
- Serve and enjoy!!
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested owner, Rochelle Lazarus Govender from The Recipe Hunter: Tried and Tested Recipes from Home Chefs and SA Tasty Recipes – Saffas Daily Recipe
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 349
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 5679
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 61
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 11
- Cholesterol: 31
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Saved and Pinned! These pretzels look incredible. So soft and perfectly golden brown on top. And I absolutely love how you made this an easy to follow recipe. Definitely giving this recipe a go!
Hi Leena, Thank you so much for visiting and your comment and your kind comment. When you do make this, please will you be so kind as to give this recipe a rating and review as it’s always so helpful for others to see when somebody else made it and how they found a recipe, and how it turned out for them.
I never knew pretzels can be made at home!!! I should give this a try. Thanks for the recipe😊👍
Morning Talat, Now that you know you can also make it at home, hope you will try it out and let me know how you love it.
This looks great! We have pretzel-lovers at my house. Pinning! 🙂
visiting from Grammy’s Grid linkup
Hi Jennifer – thank you so much for visiting and I hope your pretzel-lovers will enjoy this one as well.
These pretzels look so good! Love how simple ingredients are 🙂
Thank you so much, hope you will have a moment to test it out and that you will love it
Thanks for this recipe, Esme. Never knew how to make pretzels ! 😊
You’re so welcome Linda. Hope you will give it a go and let us know how it turned out.
Will do so! 😊
Awesome always great to get a review on the recipe as this is beneficial to others who may wish to try it as well. Thanks so much and I truly hope you enjoy it.