Best German Bretzen Soft Pretzels Recipe 445 Recipes

GERMAN PRETZELS (LAUGENBREZELN)

Steps:

• Add the flour to a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and sugar and give everything a good stir.
• Sprinkle the instant yeast on top, then give it another stir.
• Add the butter. Then slowly pour in the warm milk and water a little bit at a time while kneading the dough with the spiral dough hooks of your electric mixer. Alternatively, you can use your hands - you just might have to knead a bit longer.
• Keep kneading until you have an elastic-feeling dough that forms a ball and doesn't stick to the side of the bowl anymore. If your dough is too dry, add a little bit more water. On the other hand, if it is too sticky, add a little bit more flour.
• Form a nice ball with your hands and cover the bowl with the dough inside with a dishtowel or a lid. Place it in a warm spot without draft for an hour to allow the dough to rise.
• Once the hour is over and the dough has noticeably increased in size, sprinkle a little bit of flour onto your countertop. Knead the dough briefly with your hands, then cut or rip it into eight equal pieces.
• Using your hands, roll out these pieces into at least 26 inch long rolls. Make sure that the two ends are thinner than the middle to give the pretzels their distinct shape. If it is difficult to roll the dough/make it longer, lightly wet your hands with water - a little bit (but not too much!) of moisture can really help.
• Once you have rolled the dough pieces into long "sausages" with tapered ends, give them their unique pretzel shape. Just remember to follow "loop, loop, twist, press". If you need help, see the photo above for reference.
• Place the pretzels on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and let them rest for another 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, preheat your oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and bring approximately 4 cups of water to a boil in a large, flat pot.
• Once the 15 minutes are up and the water is boiling, add the baking soda, give it a stir with a spoon and remove the pot from heat.
• With a flipper or straining spoon, lower each pretzel into the baking soda mixture and allow for a 30-second bath. Make sure the whole pretzel is covered in liquid. If it isn't you, can flip the pretzel over after 15 seconds or baste the top of the pretzel with water in the pot. With a straining spoon, carefully remove the pretzel and allow excess water to drip off.
• Place the pretzel back on the parchment paper and sprinkle it with coarse salt, if desired. Some people like lots of salt, others like just a little bit - so this is really up to personal preference. Repeat these steps until all pretzels had their bath and are sprinkled with salt.
• Bake the pretzels in the middle rack of your oven for approximately 20 minutes until they are nicely brown in color. If your pretzels don't fit onto one baking sheet (and they probably won't), we'd recommend baking the pretzels in two rounds so that they get the heat they need (having two baking sheets in the oven can block the heat if you are using top and bottom heat).
• Remove the pretzels from the oven and let them sit for around 5-10 minutes. They can be enjoyed warm or cold - and taste delicious with a little bit of butter.

BAVARIAN BRETZEN (SOFT PRETZELS)

Steps:

• Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.
• Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined.
• Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil.
• Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 450°Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper, do not use wax paper--it will smoke, and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
• In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces.
• Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope.
• Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel.
• Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
• Place the pretzels into the boiling water, one at a time, for 30 seconds. Don't worry, they will sink to the bottom then float back to the top. If they fall apart in the water, just quickly reshape them when you place them back on the parchment.
• Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula.
• Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt.
• Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

GERMAN BRETZEN, SOFT PRETZELS RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper, do not use wax paper--it will smoke, and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan. Place the pretzels into the boiling water, one at a time, for 30 seconds. Don't worry, they will sink to the bottom then float back to the top. If they fall apart in the water, just quickly reshape them when you place them back on the parchment. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

GERMAN STYLE SOFT PRETZEL

Steps:

• To make in food processor or large mixer: combine flour, gluten, brown sugar, salt, yeast. Add water until dough ball is formed. (This will take much longer in a mixer than a food processor.) Remove from bowl and knead by hand for 2-5 minutes until dough ball is smooth.
• If you have an extra day, place dough in covered bowl into refrigerator for 8-24 hours; bring to room temperature before rolling out (approximately 25 minutes).
• If making the same day, allow dough to sit on counter top for 5-10 minutes before proceeding.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Boil water for dipping pretzels.
• Divide dough into six pieces and roll each piece into long thin pieces approximately 24" long. Take each piece and shape into upside down U. Lift up the ends and form a twist in the middle section of the piece. Bring the ends to the top of the pretzel and press into the dough. Proceed with shaping each piece.
• Add baking soda and sugar to boiling water. With large slotted spoon, dip each pretzel into the water solution for 5 seconds. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place baking sheet in oven and reduce heat to 425 deg F and bake for 10 minutes. Then turn the sheet and bake for another 10-15 minutes until all pretzels are nicely browned.

BAVARIAN-STYLE SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl (or bowl of a mixer), stir together syrup, lard or butter, yeast, 2 cups warm water and half the flour. Add kosher salt and remaining flour and stir just until mixture comes together in a shaggy mass.
• Turn out onto counter (or attach dough hook to mixer) and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and supple. Cut into 12 pieces and let rest 5 minutes.
• Roll out each piece into a rope about 22 inches long. (For traditional shape, the ends should be thin and the center fat.) Lift both ends, twist them around each other once, then bring ends back and press them on either side of fat "belly," at about 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock. Then gently spread out "shoulders" of pretzel. Transfer shaped pretzels to an ungreased baking sheet. (Alternatively, form each piece into a round or oval to make laugenbrötchen, rolls.)
• Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a deep bowl, wearing rubber or latex gloves, make a solution of 1/2 cup lye and 10 cups water (or 1 part lye to 20 parts water); pour lye carefully into water to avoid splashing. Dip each pretzel in solution, turning it over for 10 to 15 seconds, and place back on baking sheet.
• Sprinkle pretzels with salt. Bake about 15 minutes or until deep brown. Remove to a rack and serve warm.