Soft Pretzles from scratch!

[Miss Mary]

Here's a recipe my family enjoys on cold winter days, one that the entire family gets in on the act. The dog is usually nearby too, flour falling on her fur (warning, do not mop your kitchen floor before this activity, after is better advice!). My daughters first made these in Religion class, their teacher was happy to share the recipe. They're actually called Lenten Pretzles. They're so good!

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Soft Pretzles

In large bowl, dissolve 1 package dry active yeast in 2 T. water.

Add 1 1/3 cups warm water and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Knead in 5 cups of flour (until it forms a smooth ball).

Knead 10 minutes longer.

Place dough in greased bowl, turning to coat dough on all sides with grease, cover with dish towel and place in warm place until rises, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 475.

Grease 2 cookie sheets, sprinkle with Kosher salt.

Fill a large, deep skillet with several inches of water, adding 1 T. baking soda for each cup of water (I premeasure this in a pitcher). Bring to a simmer. Premeasure more water/soda mixture for when water simmers down later on.

With floured hands, take pieces of dough the size of a golf ball, and roll into smooth ball. Then with palms of hands, roll dough to make long pencil type pieces. Shape into pretzles on plate with waxed paper. When you have several formed, with slotted spoon lower them into simmering water in skillet. Cook for 30 seconds (pretzles will float when done). Transfer to cookie sheets and then sprinkle tops with salt.

Bake at 475 for 8 minutes until golden brown.

Enjoy!

[breeze]

Miss Mary, what kind of flour do you use?
All-Purpose or Self-Rising?

Yummy! My best friend's hubby loves pretzels -
I'll have to forward that recipe - thanks!

[Miss Mary]

All purpose, unbleached flour is what I use. For added flavor, you could use half reg flour and half whole wheat. Although I've never tried that.

They are very good!

Mary

[southerngale]

Boy am I lazy in the kitchen! I buy frozen SoftPretzel and warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds - voila!!

Btw, I love dipping them in Tostitos cheese sauce. YUM!

[Miss Mary]

FYI - We made these pretzels last week. And tried duplicating the cinnamon sugared ones, that you can buy hot in the mall. It didn't work! We sprinkled cinnamon/sugar over the wet pretzel after the water/baking soda dunk. They nearly burned! We decided that next time we'll bake them without salt and then when cool, brush them with melted butter, then sprinkling the cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. They nearly caught my oven on fire (we were using parchment paper since my cookies sheets are old, that's another thread I started a while back too!).

Mary