Buttered Soft Pretzels

Gimme some gimme some...hot hot pretzels..that was what my daughter N was saying when she saw me making these. From quite some time I was thinking of making pretzels and was browsing around for some easy and good recipe for soft pretzels. Most of the recipes I came to know required the pretzels to be boiled first before baking...but I was not enthusiastic about the idea of seeing my kneading and shaping labour go to waste if they happen to break open in water...then I saw this recipe here and was happy to go further to make them.

The pretzels were really soft and tasted so good. I made salty pretzels..but shhhh I cheated too and made 2 of them with cinnamon and brown sugar coating...and needless to say they tasted divine. Next time I want to be more generous and am going to dip them in chocolate.

Ingredients:

For the Dough-

APF- 2 1/2 Cups

Instant Yeast- 2 1/4 tsp

Sugar- 1 tsp

Salt- 1/2 tsp

Warm Water- 1 Cup

For Topping-

Warm Water- 1/2 Cup

Baking Soda- 2 tbsp

Melted Butter- 3 tbsp

Coarse Sea Salt for Sprinkling

Procedure-

• Since I don't have bread machine I used muscle power to knead the dough...for that all the ingredients of the dough needs to be combined and kneaded into a soft and smooth dough. I worked with my dough for about 15 minutes.
• Keep the dough for resting covered with a cling film in a buttered bowl for about 45 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a greased work surface and divide it in 8 portions. Allow the dough to rest again for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile combine 1/2 cup of warm water and baking soda and mix it well and keep the solution in a shallow bowl or plate.
• Take each dough and roll it into a thin long rope of about 28 inches in length.
• Shape each rope into a pretzel by making a U shape and then overlaying the ends of rope on one another and then press the ends into bottom of U shape. I have illustrated the method here-

• Meanwhile pre heat the oven to 250 degrees C.
• Dip each pretzel in soda water so that it is covered from both sides and then place them on buttered baking sheets.
• Sprinkle sea salt on the pretzels and bake them in the oven for 8-10 minutes or till they are golden brown in colour.
• Remove pretzels from the oven and brush all the melted butter evenly on each of them.

The pretzels tasted best when warm but they can be re heated in microwave as well and be enjoyed.

Sending this to Champa's Bake Off and Torviewtoronto's Food Palette Series- Brown event.