Pandemic Pretzels



Ingredients:

 -1 and 1/2 cup warm water
-2 and 1/4 tsp yeast (1 package)
-1 tsp table salt
-1 tbsp sugar
-1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cool (using salted butter doesn't do much harm though)
-3 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-Your choice of topping. Kosher salt is a classic for savory, and cinnamon-sugar is classic for sweet. The pic is using kosher salt, garlic & herb spice, and red pepper flakes

Baking Soda Bath
-9 cups water
-1/2 cup baking soda

Yield: 8 pretzels

Directions:

  1. Whisk 2 and 1/4 tsp yeast, or one packet, into 1 and 1/2 cup warm water. Let sit 1 min
  2. Whisk in 1 tsp table salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp melted butter
  3. Slowly mix in 3 and 3/4 cups flour
  4. Turn onto floured surface and knead for 3 min
  5. Shape into a ball, cover with a towel, and let sit for 10 min
  6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare baking sheet with parchment, spray, or by rubbing with margarine
  7. Cut dough ball into eight sections
  8. Take each section and roll into long, rope-like pieces
  9. Shape into pretzels. Form into circles, turn in, overlarp and twist. For better understanding, look at an image of a pretzel and try to copy it
  10. Bring 1/2 cup baking soda and 9 cups of water to boil
  11. Drop each pretzel into boiling water for 20-30 second. Any longer and they will develop a metallic taste
  12. Place pretzels onto prepared baking sheet
  13. Break an egg into a small bowl and stir
  14. Dunk each pretzel into egg wash and add topping
  15. Bake for 10 min, then set to broil for 5 min to brown the tops

Description: This is probably the best thing I've learned to do during the pandemic. Ever since quarantine, people have found that they have the time and availability to explore the world of baking. Since I had a head start on them from already regularly baking my own bread, while they were learning to make loaves, I was learning to make pretzels! In my Katimabread post, I said that it's a real joy to randomly give someone a loaf of bread when they don't expect it. For now, that gesture has kind of been replaced with pretzels.

If you look at the source, it says that the baking soda bath is optional. I would say it is mandatory if you want that classic chewy pretzel texture. It also says to prep the baking soda bath in step 2, but I find if you start boiling at this time, it will be bubbling over by the time you need it, especially if this is your first time with this recipe.

 The recipe I sourced also didn't require an egg wash, but if you want your toppings to stick, I'd recommend it. It also doesn't mention to switch from baking to broiling, but you should do that too. It says the yield is 12 pretzels, but really, 8 is a better expectation. It says to cut the dough into 1/3 cups. I don't know who cuts in measurements of cups. I cut a cross shape into the dough ball, and then diagonally on either side in an overlapping X-shape which results in eight fairly equally-sized hunks of dough.  

It says you can do this in 40 minutes. You probably can, but if it's your first time I wouldn't put that pressure on yourself.

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