PERFECT PRETZELS RECIPE

Making pretzels, has always been a challenge to me and to be honest, I've never tried to make pretzels. We have really good pretzels in some of our bakeries and my favorite ones are German pretzels, dark on the outside and light in the inside. This is an original recipe for Bavarian pretzels, but I didn't know that I can make them so good at my first try at home. Write down the recipe and give it a try, you'll be thrilled. I made half from these dose, so 4 pretzels, since I made bagels and bread too.

 Ingredients:


For the pretzels:

•     1/2 cup lukewarm milk
•     1/2 cup lukewarm water
•     1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
•     half a cube of fresh yeast (or 2,5 tsp dry yeast)
•     3 tbsp melted unsalted butter
•     4 cups all-purpose flour
•     1 tsp table salt

For dipping:

•     1 liter water
•     3 tbsp baking soda

Topping:

•     2 tbsp kosher salt

*Cup size 250 ml

Preparation:

1. First, activate yeast in a lukewarm milk together with the sugar. 
2. Then, add the salt and the lukewarm water, add flour and turn on the mixer with dough sticks attached and mix the dough for several minutes. Add the melted butter too. 
3. After several minutes, turn off the mixer and continue to knead with your hand, if dough is too sticky - add some flour and if it's too hard - add a pinch of water.
4. Leave thus prepared dough aside for about 1 hour.
5. After 1 hour and after the dough has doubled its size, transfer it to a floured surface and divide it into 8 parts.
6. Transform each part into a ball.
7. Then take 1 ball and roll each into a 40cm long rope, the middle part should be bigger and the ends should be thinned out to about 1 cm or less.
8. Bring the ends together, twist them twice then fold them down onto the bottom curve. Press ends into the dough and shape into a pretzel shape as shown in the pictures.
   
9. Let the pretzels rise uncovered for 30 minutes in a warm place.
   
10. After 30 minutes comes the interesting part. Turn on the hair dryer and dry their surface for several minutes so they develop skin. Flip them on the other side and continue with drying. This step is important for the texture. You can also put them on the balcony or by the window where is windy.
11. Boil 4 cups water in a medium pot and add the baking soda. Dip each pretzel into the simmering water for 5-6 seconds. Use a slotted spoon.
12. Take them out and place directly on a baking tray coated with baking paper.
13. Sprinkle with a little bit of kosher salt and cut the dough with a sharp knife in the thick middle part.
14. Bake for about 20 minutes in a previously heated oven at 200 C degrees until nicely browned.
15. After baking, coat with a little bit of melted butter.