{"id":190,"date":"2012-05-31T03:33:00","date_gmt":"2012-05-31T03:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chefpattie.com\/?p=190"},"modified":"2012-05-31T03:33:00","modified_gmt":"2012-05-31T03:33:00","slug":"soft-pretzels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/?p=190","title":{"rendered":"Soft Pretzels"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today I went shopping with my daughter and granddaughters.  We had a yummy snack at the pretzel shack in the mall. Their soft pretzel bites and pretzel dogs (mini pigs in a blanket) were soooooo yummy I had to come home and make some!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Here’s my yummy soft pretzels! <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soft Pretzels took some time but were easy to make, and VERY light and soft. <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 I found a recipe from Smitten Kitchen HERE. <\/a> She adapted her recipe from Martha Stewart’s. <\/span>Then I looked at 3 more recipes and read comments for about an hour. <\/span>Then I looked up recipes on the Food Network and All Recipes.com.<\/span> <\/span> I chose this recipe because of all the positive comments. It is from the FOOD NETWORK. It is Alton Brown’s recipe and there was also a video. The link is <\/span>HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/embed><\/object><\/div>\n

Then I watched a few you tubes on pretzel making and Martha Stewart had a video too. Those are THE BEST ways to learn how to cook something! You tube videos!! <\/span>I adapted this one after making it.  My recipe has a little more sugar and less salt. And I did not bake mine as long. I like them lighter and soft, not hard on the outside so I added DOUGH ENHANCER POWDER.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
My dough mixed up and ready to cover…..<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 Mix the warm water and sugar and then sprinkle on the yeast packet. Let it sit until it is foamy. They call that “proofing” the yeast, it will take 5 minutes. Then add the salt and melted butter and put your dough hook on your mixmaster. Add a cup of flour to start. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Add the rest of the flour and some dough enhancer.  Knead for a few minutes.  <\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The Dough Enhancer <\/span>makes bread softer and doughier. You can get it from Bosch bread making supply store. <\/span> They were easy and yummy and kinda fun! <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Soft Pretzels (my recipe adapted from Alton Brown)
1 package instant dry yeast
1 1\/2 cups warm water
1 1\/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1\/2 teaspoons salt
4 Tablespoons melted BUTTER
1 teaspoon dough enhancer (optional for softer pretzels)
4 1\/4 cups all purpose flour
Mix, knead, let rise for an hour, then roll out and make your pretzels. Place on parchment paper on cookie sheets and bake for 6 to 7 minutes at 425 degrees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Now we are ready to roll the pretzel dough out…..it has puffed up quite a bit….<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
 Always use less<\/span> flour to start on any bread recipe. Then slowly add in by cupfuls.  This dough was smooth, not really very sticky at all. <\/span><\/dl>\n

<\/span><\/dl>\n
Then place dough ball in an oiled pan and cover for an hour to let it rise. Then I rolled it out on my surface.  Make a big rectangle shape. My dough was about 1\/2 inch thick, maybe a little less. <\/span><\/dl>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
I rolled pretzel dough  into a rectangle…..<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Get your pizza cutter and cut the dough down the middle, then 2 more times to make 4 sections. Then cut each section into 3 or 5 strips, depending upon how large or small you want your pretzels. <\/span><\/dl>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cut Soft Pretzel Dough into 4 sections with a pizza cutter, and then cut each section into 5  skinny strips….to make 20 pretzels.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/div>\n

If it is for a party I recommend the 5 strips. This will give you 20 good, 3 inch bite sized pretzels. If you do the larger (palm sized thick pretzels) 3 strips will make 12 big and soft 5 inch pretzels. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

                            Here were my ingredients….and my cute new RACHEL RAY PAN! It is oval, and orange, with a soft, rubber handle and with a pour spout. SO CUTE right? I love her stuff! I got it on sale at J. C. Pennys! Only $15 bucks and I had a 20% off coupon if I opened a charge (yes I’m a sucker for a coupon!). <\/span>

<\/span><\/p>\n

(Mix a bath of 5 cups hot water to 1\/3 cup baking soda in a deep fry pan. Set on warm on stove for after pretzels are made and formed.) <\/b><\/dl>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
I mixed up the baking soda and water hot bath….left it on low on the stove and then formed my pretzels….<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
They take less than a minute each in the hot water bath…just like a bagel!<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
I played with my dough making all kinds of shapes….it would be so fun for kids to do too! <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Roll it, flip it twice around, then turn each end up and pinch…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
To roll them I made a long snake, 12 to 16 inches long, and then make make a loop, then twist it once again and take the tails and flip them up to the round loop and press them down. Then I turned each one over. <\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soft Pretzels.   That’s it!  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n
Then drop them in the baking soda and hot water bath….just for like 45 seconds each…<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pick pretzels up with a slotted spoon and place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper on it..<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
More playing with soft pretzel dough….lol…..<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oh boy is this fun! I got about 3 cookie sheets full…About 20 pretzels….<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/dl>\n
Top each pretzel with a sprinkle of kosher salt before baking. (not much, or too salty!)<\/span><\/dl>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sprinkled on the salt….<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Then ready to bake! <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Bake in 425 oven for 5 1\/2  to 71\/2  minutes. Watch them as each oven is a little different. My top shelf cooked them faster than my bottom shelf too, so I had an extra minute on the lower shelf of pretzels.<\/span><\/dl>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Here they are just hot out of the oven….soft and yummy….If you like them hard on the outside just do an egg wash and cook them a bit longer in the oven…they will have a stiffer, smooth and chewy outside…..<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Add the melted butter on with a silicone brush….<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
When they come out of the oven brush them with melted butter and a silicone brush. EAT! <\/span>They are lightly crisp on the outside and buttery chewy inside. Yummy! The hubs loved them! He loves anything salty. <\/span><\/dl>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oh yeah….that’s what I’m talkin about!  I brought them to my classroom the next day
for our little cast party….we are doing 4 little fairy tale plays….I brought O.J. to go with them…yum! <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Dip them in chili, or light cream cheese, or cinnamon and sugar or just plain. Next time I’ll try putting a 1\/4 slice of hot dog inside each one and make pretzel dogs! That would go great with mustard. mmmm………<\/span><\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today I went shopping with my daughter and granddaughters.  We had a yummy snack at the pretzel shack in the mall. Their soft pretzel bites and pretzel dogs (mini pigs in a blanket) were soooooo yummy I had to come home and make some! Here’s my yummy soft pretzels!  Soft Pretzels took some time but … Continue reading “Soft Pretzels”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[219,218],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chefpattie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}