Description
German Bretzel, the easy and traditional recipe made with a yeast brioche dough and sea salt (for 10 - 12 soft pretzels)
Ingredients
Pretzel dough
- 350 ml (1 1/4 cup) Water - lukewarm 86°F / 30°C max
- 1 packet Dry baker's yeast - about 7 g or 20 g of Fresh yeast
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar - or malt syrup
- 500 g (3 3/4 cups) Flour - plain or bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 30 g (2 tbsp) Butter - unsalted, melted and cooled
- Coarse salt
Water bath
- 50 g (1/3 cup) Baking soda
- 1,5-2 l Water - boiling
Instructions
- Rehydrate the dry yeast in a bowl with warm water and sugar, mix and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, pour the flour and salt, then add the liquid mixture containing the baker's yeast and then the melted and cooled butter.
- Knead on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough that pulls away from the sides. If the dough seems too soft and sticky, then add a bit of flour and if it seems too dry, add a bit of water.
- Cover with a cloth and let the dough rise at room temperature in a warm place for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours until it doubles in size.
- Remove the dough to a work surface and degas it with the palm of your hands.
- Cut the dough into 10 pieces (about 90g) and shape them into balls.
- Work on one ball at a time and while doing so, leave the other balls of dough under a cloth to prevent them from drying out and forming a crust.
- Shape the pretzels by first working the dough into a ball that you roll with your hands until it is about 50 cm long.
- Form into a U shape, then cross the ends twice, then fold them over the bottom of the U and press to stick.
- Move the pretzels to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them grow for 30 minutes under a tea towel.
- Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan with the baking soda and bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the baking soda in the water.
- Then lower the temperature until the water is just simmering.
- Dip each pretzel one by one into the boiling water for about 10 to 15 seconds per side, no more to avoid a metallic taste.
- With a skimmer, remove the drained pretzels and place them back on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, making sure to separate them enough to prevent them from sticking together during baking.
- Sprinkle coarse salt, sesame seeds, or poppy seeds on top.
- Preheat the oven to 428°F / 220°C and bake the pretzels for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Let them cool down a little before brushing them with a brush and a bit of melted butter.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Conservation: About 3 to 5 days at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer.
If you have the time, make the dough the day before and leave it in the fridge for at least 8 hours or even overnight.
The water must be lukewarm (baby bath temperature).
You can replace the water with milk or make a mixture of both.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill time: 2h30
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: bread, brioches,
- Cuisine: German