Soft Baked Pretzels
“Here.” Beryl picked a cardboard sign up off the counter and handed it to Cyrus. “Could you go put this in the front window?”
“Sure.” Cyrus read the sign as he pushed back through the door to the dining room and bakery. Sorry, No Pretzels. Please Come Back Tomorrow. Cyrus faced it towards the street and leaned it on the brick windowsill against the window…Cyrus went back into the kitchen. “Done.”
“Thanks.”
“So, your parents aren’t going to be back this evening?” Cyrus asked. “Since your dad won’t be making pretzels tonight?” Ray and Beryl’s father made his popular soft pretzels nearly every evening.
The oven dinged, and Beryl pulled out a sheet of pretzels. She gestured to Alec. “Here, try one of these.” She broke off part of an imperfect one.
“Hot.” Alec blew on the pretzel before taking a bite.
“How does it taste?” Beryl looked anxious. “Like my father’s?”
“If I had both, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. May I have the rest?”
“By all means.” Beryl gestured at the sheet. “I better get baking if we’re going to have the pretzel crowd in here.
Ingredients
Pretzel Ingredients
3 3/4 cup Flour (All-Purpose)
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Oil or Melted Butter
3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp and 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 1/4 cup Water (Warm)
Baking Soda Bath
2 cups Water
2 Tbsp Baking Soda
Melted Butter
Coarse Salt
Cinnamon and Sugar
Chocolate Flakes
Grated Cheese
Toppings
Instructions
Measure out the powdered sugar, and remove one Tbsp. Mix the yeast, the Tbsp of powdered sugar, and the warm water in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Add the oil or melted butter and stir.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining powdered sugar, flower, and salt.
Pour the dry ingredients into the yeast mixture and mix.
Flour a work surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes. If using a stand mixer, the first 2-3 minutes of kneading can be done in the mixer.
Lightly grease the large mixing bowl and place the dough inside. Cover in plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, which should take 1-2 hours depending on the temperature.
Cut the dough into sections and roll into ropes. Either twist into pretzel shapes or cut into small pretzel bites.
Prepare the baking soda bath by adding the water and baking soda to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, put the pretzels in, boiling on each side for at least 30 seconds, and slightly less on each side for pretzel bites. Place pretzels on a lined baking sheet.
Bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until browned. While still warm, brush with melted butter, then top with your choice of toppings. Some toppings, such as the salt, may be added before baking and without butter if added immediately after the pretzel comes out of the baking soda bath. Not recommended with chocolate flakes or grated cheese.