Homemade Pretzel
10 servings
120 minutes
Pretzel is a symbol of German baking, traditionally associated with Bavaria. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages when monks created special pretzels resembling hands folded in prayer. Homemade pretzel is a soft dough enriched with cream and olive oil, featuring a light crispy crust achieved through a special treatment in an alkaline solution. Its taste is a balance of airiness, slight saltiness, and a golden crust. Traditionally served with beer, soups, or simply as a standalone treat. Thanks to its original shape and unique preparation process, pretzel not only pleases the eye but also has a unique texture combining softness inside and appetizing crispness outside. It’s the perfect choice for a cozy home evening when you want to touch upon true German gastronomic tradition.
1
Dissolve the yeast in warm water, cream, and sugar. Let it foam in a warm place for about 15 minutes. Mix the flour with salt, combine with the starter and oil (olive oil can be replaced with clarified butter if cholesterol is not a concern), and knead a soft, elastic dough. If needed, add a little more flour. Cover and place in a warm place for 40-60 minutes. The dough should double in size.
- Water: 1 l
- Cream 10%: 50 ml
- Dry yeast: 7 g
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Wheat flour: 300 g
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Olive oil: 10 ml
2
When the dough rises, briefly but tightly knead it and divide it into 12 equal parts. From each piece, make a thin sausage about 60 cm long, thicker in the middle to form a pretzel. To shape the pretzel correctly, bakers use a special rolling technique: 'the rope should be rolled with both hands so that the ends of the resulting sausage are thin. Then take both ends of the rope and connect them in the middle (where the dough is thick), twisting sharply by 180 degrees. Immediately after this, place the product on the work surface. Now all that remains is to press the ends of the rope to the pretzel.'
3
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
4
Grease the baking tray with margarine or butter/lined with parchment.
5
Traditionally, before baking, pretzels are dipped for a few seconds in a 3-5% sodium hydroxide (E 524) solution with a pH level of 13-14. At home, we replace it with a soda solution: boil a liter of water and dissolve 30 grams of soda in it, reduce the heat but keep it on the stove. Dip the pretzel in boiling water for 20-30 seconds: it should increase in volume and float. This is the main miracle in the pretzel baking process. Remove the pretzel with a large slotted spoon (just not aluminum).
- Soda: 30 g
6
Place the pretzels on the baking sheet so that they do not touch each other.
7
Make a slight cut on top of the thick part of the pretzel and sprinkle with coarse salt, sesame, poppy seeds, or grated cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until a nice color is achieved.
- Coarse salt: 3 tablespoons