Stuttgart-Style Pretzels

By á-2709

If you can't buy your pretzels from the little old lady selling them out of baskets on the street corner in downtown Stuttgart any more, try baking your own from Chuck's special recipe. Follow directions precisely for delicious German pretzels sure to bring back many wonderful memories

Ingredients

• Additional Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp. Meggle Alpine Butter
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 package Rapid Action Dry Active Yeast
• 1 cup lukewarm water (110-degrees)
• 3 tbsp. baking soda
• 1 egg white, beaten (optional)
• course salt to taste (sea salt works best)
• parchment paper

Details

Adapted from germandeli.com

Preparation

Step 1

Using a counter top mixer, mix the butter and flour until evenly mixed (2-3 minutes). Add sugar, salt, yeast and water. Make sure the dough hook is installed. Mix on high for an additional 2-3 minutes. Knead the dough until it is thoroughly mixed and it loses it's stickiness. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces and roll into ropes about 15-20 inches long on a lightly floured surface. Leave the middle part of the rope thicker than the rest of the rope. Twist into a pretzel shape, tucking the end under the bottom of the pretzel and pinching it together. Make sure both ends of the rope of dough are connected in a continuous pattern. Let the twisted dough rise on the parchment paper for about ten minutes.

While the dough rises, heat 1 litre of water in a pan just to the boiling point - it should NOT come to a boil - then add the baking soda and reduce the heat just a smidgen. Gently place the uncooked pretzels into the water with a slotted spoon or spatula, one at a time. Cook for exactly 20 seconds, dunking the pretzel as it sits in the water. Lift from the water, drain and place on a baking sheet lined with the same parchment paper. Brush with beaten egg white (this will give a shine to your pretzel). Sprinkle with sea salt (you do not need a lot of salt) and bake in a preheated 475-degree oven for 13 minutes. The pretzels should be a beautiful golden brown. Cool on baking rack.