Asiago And Cheddar Soft Pretzels Food

ASIAGO CHEESE SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or with parchment paper.
• In a medium sized bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Mix it together with a whisk, stirring until most of the clumps are gone. Add in the sugar, salt, and ¼ cup shredded asiago cheese, mixing well. Slowly add 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon. Add about ¾ cup more flour or until the dough no longer feels sticky. Poke the dough and see if it bounces back. If so, it is ready to knead.
• Turn your dough out onto a floured surface. Knead with a push turn method for around 3-5 minutes adding flour when necessary to prevent it from sticking. The dough won't be entirely smooth because of the cheese, but will be fairly smooth and pliable when done. Shape into a ball. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut the dough in half. Then into quarters. Take each quarter and cut into 3 even pieces to have a total of a dozen mostly equal pieces of dough.
• Shape each piece of dough into a long ropes, even in diameter. Shorter ropes of dough will make thicker smaller pretzels. Longer ropes of dough will make skinny bigger pretzels.
• Take the two ends of dough and bring them together in a U shape. Twist them together 2-3 times. Flip the twisted ends back to make the pretzel shape. Pictures are featured above to help with this process.
• After the pretzels are shaped. Mix 4 cups of very hot water with ¼ cup baking soda. Dip each pretzel into the baking soda wash. While still wet, sprinkle the pretzels with the remaining ½ cup shredded asiago cheese.
• Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from the oven. Turn the oven to broil. Place each pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the pretzels are browned and the cheese is melted. Watch closely to prevent burning.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Mix in ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Brush over the tops of warm pretzels and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

ASIAGO AND CHEDDAR SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Prepare dry hot roll mix according to package directions, adding cheddar and 1/4 cup Asiago cheese.
• Divide dough equally into 12 pieces; roll each piece with hands on a lightly floured countertop to form 15-inch ropes.
• Form each rope into pretzel by stretching and braiding.
• From inside, pull apart the sides to form three even-size holes between compartments leaving plenty of room for raising of dough.
• Place 3 inches apart on 2 nonstick cookie sheets.
• Brush pretzels with beaten egg.
• Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup Asiago cheese and coarse salt or optional toppings over pretzels.
• Bake until golden brown, about 16 to 18 minutes.
• Immediately transfer pretzels to a wire cooling rack.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with mustard, if desired.
• Pretzels may be stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to four days.