Aunties Delicious Soft Pretzels Amish Food

AUNTIE'S DELICIOUS SOFT PRETZELS, AMISH RECIPE

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast into warm water.
• Add sugar, then flour& mix well- do not 'knead' as this toughens the dough.
• (Mix just until combined well) Let rise until doubled, at least 20 minutes.
• Cut into long 'ropes'.
• Shape into pretzel shapes, then dip into prepared dipping solution.
• Place on well-greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with pretzel salt.
• Bake at 500-550°F for 4-6 minutes until golden brown.
• Dip face of pretzel into melted butter.
• Variation: add 1 t vanilla to the dough.
• Flavor variations.
• Cinnamon/sugar- omit salt& dip into cinnamon sugar after face has been coated with butter.
• Sour cream& onion- after dipping face of pretzel in butter, sprinkle with sour cream& onion powder Garlic- same as sour cream& onion, but use garlic powder.
• Sesame or poppy seed--BEFORE baking, AFTER dipping into dipping solution, dip pretzel face-down into the seeds, then bake.
• Salt is optional with this one.

SOFT PRETZELS - LIKE AUNTIE ANNE'S

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast in medium bowl. Blend well.
• Heat 1 cup water and Crisco in small saucepan to 100 - 110 degrees.
• Add liquid to flour mixture and blend at low speed until moistened.
• Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
• Stir in by hand an additional 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups of flour or until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
• Knead in 1/2 - 3/4 cup flour, on a floured surface, until dough is smooth and elastic.
• Put dough in greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and a cloth towel.
• Let rise in a warm (80-85 degrees) until light and doubled in size. About 45 minutes.
• Spray 2 cookie sheets with no-stick spray.
• Punch dough down and seperate into 12 pieces.
• Roll each piece into a 16-inch rope.
• Form into pretzel shape.
• Place on greased cookie sheets and cover.
• Let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
• Adjust oven rack to top position.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine 6 cups water and baking soda in a shallow saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Slowly drop pretzels into water, one at a time, cooking 15 seconds on each side.
• Remove from water with a slotted spoon and return to greased cookie sheet.
• Sprinkle with pretzel salt, sesame seeds, etc.
• Bake for 8 minutes.
• Brush with melted butter.
• Bake an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove from cookie sheet and brush generously with remaining butter.

ALMOST-FAMOUS SOFT PRETZELS (AUNTIE ANNE'S COPY CAT)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons of the butter and soften; stir into mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly flour surface. (If dough seems tight, cover and let rise until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece in the palms of your hands into a 30 inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter to drip off. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce or cream cheese.