Pretzels with salt
4 servings
210 minutes
Pretzels with salt are a classic symbol of European baking that originated in medieval Germany. Their signature shape symbolizes hands folded in prayer, and the cooking method in a baking soda solution gives them a unique texture and golden crust. Outside, pretzels are crispy while inside they are soft with light creamy notes. Coarse sea salt adds zest and makes them an ideal snack for beer, soups, and meat dishes. This treat stores well and remains tasty even after reheating. Freshly baked pretzels emit an appetizing aroma that creates a cozy atmosphere. The exquisite combination of airy dough and crispy crust makes them a favorite delicacy for breakfast as well as for leisurely gatherings with a cup of coffee.
1
We take the butter out of the fridge.
- Butter: 100 g
2
Take 250 ml of warm water (about 40 degrees). If you don't have a thermometer, mix boiled water at room temperature and boiling water in a 4:1 ratio. Add sugar and yeast, stir, and let it dissolve.
- Water: 250 ml
- Sugar: 2 teaspoons
- Dry yeast: 2 teaspoons
3
We pour 500 g of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder into a mixing bowl. I don't sift anything, but don't deny yourself this pleasure if you want to. We mix it, add butter, and crumble it into fine crumbs. You won't need a mixer for this: it's easy and pleasant to do by hand.
- Wheat flour: 500 g
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
4
Now we add water with yeast and knead the dough. It will quickly stop sticking to the hands. We knead the dough for about ten minutes, place it in a large deep bowl, cover it with a towel, and put it in a warm place for two hours. During this time, the dough should rise.
- Water: 250 ml
5
After the dough has risen, divide it into 8 equal parts. Knead each part well, roll it into a small pancake, then roll it into a small roll and start rolling it into a long sausage of even thickness. The rolling technique is the same as in childhood with plasticine. Attention! The dough will shrink, so in the end you need to stretch our dough rope quite strongly: about 60–70 cm. Now fold the dough rope in half, cross the ends at about two-fifths of the length from the ends, twist them again at that point and secure the ends on the loop of dough we created. As a result, we have made a pretzel or an oversized cracker. We do this with all remaining pieces. On average, it takes me about 3–4 minutes to shape each pretzel. Turn the oven to maximum (for me it's around 230 degrees).
6
By the time you have shaped all the pretzels, you should have two liters of boiling water. Add 5 teaspoons of baking soda to it and drop the pretzels in two at a time. Once they float, time for two minutes. After two minutes, remove them and place them on a towel. Do the same with the rest.
- Soda: 5 teaspoon
7
After all the pretzels are 'cooked', we make small cuts (just on top, for beauty) and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Coarse sea salt: to taste
8
We place baking paper on the baking tray, put the pretzels on it, and bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes. I set it to 200-220 degrees in non-convection mode.
9
In 20 minutes you will take out golden pretzels from the oven. The whole house will smell wonderfully of creamy butter and baked goods, but hold yourself back and let them cool a bit. A great option for breakfast, as a snack with beer and fish, or instead of bread for broths. By the way, they don't lose anything if reheated in the microwave; I actually prefer them that way.