# Pretzel recipe...?



## Magia (Nov 9, 2004)

I've been looking for the "real" pretzel recipe, online but all I get is a short cut to the real thing.  Does anyone have a good and authentic pretzel recipe that *S/He, It*  is willing to share with me....????? pprrrrreeeeeaaazzzzzeeee  :P


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## kansasgirl (Nov 9, 2004)

What is your idea of 'real'? What have you seen that you do not like? I will assume that you want one for pretzels that are mixed, raised, boiled, and baked. Here is a good recipe - maybe it will suit your needs.

Buttermilk Pretzels
1 pk (2-1/4 ts) active dry yeast 
2 tb Plus 1 ts sugar, divided
1/4 c Warm water 
2/3 c Buttermilk 
2 tb Butter 
1/2 c Cold water 
4 c AP flour 
1 ts Salt 
2 qt Water for boiling 
1/4 c Baking soda 
Cornmeal for sprinkling on the baking sheet 
1  Egg, lightly beaten 
Coarse salt, sesame seeds, minced onion/garlic for the tops (opt)

Preheat oven to 350F
1.In a small bowl, combine the yeast with 1 ts of the sugar and the warm water. Set aside in a warm place until the yeast starts to foam, about 5-10 minutes. 
2.In a small saucepan, add the butter to the buttermilk and bring to a boil. Stir to melt the butter completely. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the cold water, stir, and allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm. 
3.In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture and the cooled buttermilk mixture and mix well. 
4.Knead well by hand on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and springy to the touch. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn over to coat all sides. Cover with a damp towel and set the dough in a warm place until it has doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. 
5.Punch the dough down and knead a few strokes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or wax paper and place it in the refrigerator until well chilled, approximately 1 hour. 
6.With a knife, cut the dough into 25 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a cylinder about 10 inches long. (If you prefer larger, softer pretzels, cut the dough into only 15 pieces and roll into cylinders that are 14 inches long). For an even cylinder, place the dough on a firm surface and roll your hands across the top, moving from the center outward. Shape each cylinder into a pretzel by forming a loop in the center, twisting the ends and attaching them to the bottom of the loop. 
7.Bring the 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and the remaining 2 tb sugar to the water. Drop the pretzels into the water one at a time and, with a slotted spoon, remove each one as it pops back up to the surface in about 2-3 seconds. Place the pretzels on a towel to drain for a few minutes. 
8.Place boiled and drained pretzels on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Brush the tops with the egg and sprinkle lightly and evenly with coarse salt or other toppings. Bake for 15-25 minutes, depending on size and softness desired, and unitl tops are well browned. Cool on a rack.


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## Magia (Nov 10, 2004)

kansasgirl said:
			
		

> What is your idea of 'real'? What have you seen that you do not like? I will assume that you want one for pretzels that are mixed, raised, boiled, and baked. Here is a good recipe - maybe it will suit your needs.



Yes, the mix, raise, boil and bake routine is what I was looking for.  Did not  know what to expect as I did not know how the original pretzels are made,  but I kept reading recipe introductions that said things like "same great flavour, half the work"... :? and some of the pics. to illustrate had a cheese-stick-crumbly look to them.
Anywho, Thanks a lot!


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## ronjohn55 (Nov 10, 2004)

I lifted this from an old homebrew digest - but it's OK, I know Jeff, and he's OK with it being used as long as credit is given. Plus the article was already published with this recipe. 

This recipe works well in a large mixer or food processor, and I have 
formatted the recipe for this (see note for hand).

***********

Recipe
German Soft Pretzels
Makes 1 dozen

o 2 packets dry baker's yeast
o 1/4 cup water 105-115 degrees F (40-45C)
o 1 ounce dry milk powder
o 3 ounces shortening
o 1/4 cup sugar
o 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
o 19 ounces all purpose flour (about 4 cups)
o enough additional water to make a soft dough - about 1 cup (note - 
my notes say 3/4 cup, but I think this is a mistake - I'll make up a 
batch sometime soon and check).

Rehydrate the yeast in the 1/4 cup warm water and a pinch of sugar. 
Be sure to use a container like a plastic cup that won't suck all the 
heat away.  It should foam up in a few minutes.

Mix the rest of the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl or food 
processor *.  Add the yeast water when it's well hydrated and foamy, 
then turn on the mixer or processor and add water until you get a 
soft dough.  Continue mixing according to manufacturer's instructions 
until well kneaded.

*  If you make the dough by hand, add the rehydrated yeast and other 
ingredients with half the flour to a large bowl, stir with a wooden 
spoon until mixed, then stir in as much of the rest of the flour as 
possible, then turn out onto a work surface and knead in enough of 
the rest of the flour to get a soft dough and knead it until it is 
elastic and smooth, about five minutes.

Let the dough rise covered until doubled, probably 30 minutes with 
all this yeast.

Now prepare the lye water.  Put cold water in a non-reactive pot, add 
1 tablespoon lye crystals (like Red Devil) for each quart.  Add the 
lye to the water, not the other way around!  Use normal precautions. 
You're big boys and girls.  Bring to a simmer.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

When the dough is doubled, divide into 12 equal pieces, roll out into 
18" lengths, then twist into pretzel shape.  This is easy to do but 
hard to describe with pictures.

Start with the dough in an upside-down "U", then cross the legs twice 
into a double twist.  Next flip the top down over the legs and press 
each part of the loop onto the legs where they cross, making a tack 
weld.

Set aside on a towel and shape the rest of the pieces.  Then starting 
with the first one and using a slotted ladle or spatula (not your 
fingers), immerse each pretzel in the simmering lye water for 30 
seconds to one minute.  They should expand and begin to float. 
Remove it and place on a wet tea-towel to drain and sprinkle with 
pretzel salt.

Now arrange on prepared cookie sheet (you will probably need to use 
two cookie sheets and bake one at a time) and bake until done.  In my 
oven, this takes about 9 minutes.  While they are cooling a bit, pour 
yourself a well deserved pint and then enjoy the pretzels.

These freeze quite well when cool.  Thaw them and pop them into the 
oven to reheat or gently microwave them if you must.

Jeff
- -- 
Jeff Renner in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA


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