- 1 1/2 teaspoons [7.5 g] active dry yeast
- 1 cup [250 mL] warm water
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups [350 to 420 g] all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons [30 mL] vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon [15 g] sugar
- 4 cups [1 L] water
- 4 tablespoons [60 mL] baking soda
- Water
- Coarse salt
To Serve Hot
- Butter, mustard and/or cream cheese
|
- Into a bowl, dissolve active dry yeast into warm water.
- Add approximately 1 1/2 cups [210 g] flour; add vegetable oil and sugar.
- Beat for approximately 3 minutes, until well mixed and light.
- Slowly mix in remaining flour to get a soft, smooth dough.
- Roll dough onto a floured surface, until dough feels soft and has a silky look [approximately 5 minutes], adding flour if needed to get a dough that is not sticky.
- Transfer dough into a greased bowl; turn to grease on top.
- Cover and leave to rise to double in bulk, approximately 1 hour.
- Punch dough down and then turn onto a floured surface; divide dough into 12 parts.
- With your hands, shape each part into a ball, dipping your fingers into a bowl of water so that the dough becomes just a little sticky.
- Roll each part into a long cylinder, approximately 18 inches [46 cm] long; shape into a pretzel.
- Arrange pretzels, a little apart from one an other, onto a non-stick or lightly greased cookie sheet, folding ends underneath.
- Leave to rise, uncovered, until puffed [approximately 25 minutes].
- Meanwhile, into a cast-iron casserole [not aluminium], bring together water and baking soda to a boil.
- Lower heat so that water boils slowly.
- Using a slotted spoon, dip one pretzel into the casserole.
- Boil each pretzel for 10 seconds on each side; remove and lightly drain pretzels before arranging pretzels back onto cookie sheet.
- Leave all pretzels to dry.
- Sprinkle dried pretzels with coarse salt; set pretzels aside until completely dried.
- Bake pretzels into a preheated 425°F [220°C] oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until pretzels are golden brown.
- Transfer pretzels onto a wire rack.
- Serve hot, along with butter, mustard and/or cream cheese.
or
Cool pretzels completely; vacuum pack and refrigerate or freeze.
- To reheat pretzels: arrange pretzels onto paper toweling and microwave at 'HIGH' for 45 to 60 seconds, until hot.
- To reheat frozen pretzels: arrange pretzels onto a greased or a non-stick cookie sheet and reheat pretzels into a preheated 400°F [200°C] oven, for approximately 10 minutes, until hot.
|
