Giant Pretzels Food

SOFT GIANT PRETZELS

Steps:

• In a bread machine pan, place 1 cup water and next 3 ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting. Check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons water or flour if needed., When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 8 balls. Roll each into a 20-in. rope; form into pretzel shape. , Preheat oven to 425°. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water and the baking soda to a boil. Drop pretzels into boiling water, 2 at a time; boil for 10-15 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels., Place pretzels on greased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Spritz or lightly brush with remaining 2 Tbsp. water. Sprinkle with salt.

GIANT PRETZEL

Steps:

• Let 2 pounds of pizza dough come to room temperature (this might take up to 2 hours). Roll and stretch into a 5-foot rope, then form into a U shape on a parchment-lined baking sheet, letting the ends hang over the side. Lift the ends and twist them twice, then press the ends down to make a pretzel shape. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake at 450 degrees F until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely, then split in half and fill with pub cheese.

ALMOST-FAMOUS SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Make the pretzels: 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 butter and soften; stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups 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 doubled 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 floured surface. (If the dough seems tight, cover and let rest until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with 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 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Prepare the sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter drip off. Serve the pretzels warm with the sweet mustard sauce.
• Illustration by Jason Lee

GIANT COOKIE DOUGH-STUFFED PRETZEL

Steps:

• For the cookie dough and pretzel: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Beat the brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce the speed to low, add the flour and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the milk, increase the speed to medium and beat until creamy, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chocolate chips; set aside.
• Unroll the sheets of pizza dough and stack them. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 36-by-5-inch plank. Spread the cookie dough in an even line lengthwise down the center of the dough and brush one of the long sides with the egg. Fold the dough in half lengthwise. Pinch the edges together in the center to seal in the filling. Use your hands to roll and stretch the dough into a 5-foot rope. Form the rope into a giant pretzel shape and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the dough is almost completely cooked through and golden brown all over, about 35 minutes.
• For the topping: Dissolve the baking soda in 1/4 cup hot water. Remove the pretzel from the oven and brush all over with the soda water, then brush with a thin coating of egg wash and sprinkle with the pearl sugar. Return to the oven and continue baking until dark golden brown and crisp, about 8 minutes more. Let cool 5 minutes before serving warm.

GIANT SPINACH DIP-STUFFED PRETZEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine the spinach and artichoke hearts in a large clean kitchen towel and wring out any excess moisture. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic powder, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Use a handheld mixer to beat until combined, about 2 minutes.
• Unroll the sheets of pizza dough and stack them. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 36-inch-by-5-inch plank. Spread the spinach dip in an even line down the center of the dough. Tear each piece of string cheese lengthwise into 4 strips ; line up the strips along the top and bottom of the line of spinach dip, creating a border of cheese around the dip. Fold the dough in half lengthwise. Pinch the edges together in the center to seal in the filling. Use your hands to roll and stretch the dough into a 5-foot rope.
• Form the rope into a giant pretzel shape and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the dough is almost completely cooked through and golden brown all over, about 30 minutes.
• Dissolve the baking soda in 1/2 cup hot water. Brush the pretzel all over with the soda water and continue baking until dark golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes more. Brush with the butter and sprinkle with salt. Let cool 5 minutes, then serve warm.

GIANT CHEESE-STUFFED PRETZEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Unroll the sheets of pizza dough and stack them one on top of the other. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 36-by-5-inch plank. Lay the cheese down the length of the plank so all the dough it covered. Sprinkle a line of jalapenos down the center of the cheese. Fold the dough in half lengthwise and pinch the edges together to secure the filling. Roll and stretch the dough with your hands to make a 5-foot rope.
• Form the rope into a giant pretzel shape and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the dough is almost completely cooked through and golden brown all over, about 30 minutes.
• Dissolve the baking soda in 1/2 cup hot water. Brush the pretzel all over with the soda water and continue baking until dark golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes more. Brush with the butter and sprinkle with salt. Let cool 5 minutes, then serve warm.

LARGE SOFT PRETZELS (QUICK)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Mix water and sugar together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved; add yeast. Let mixture stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk flour, butter, and salt together in a bowl until well mixed; add yeast mixture and stir with a fork until dough starts to cling. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth.
• Cut dough into 15 equal pieces and roll each piece between your hands into rope shapes at least the thickness of a pencil. Twist dough into desired shapes and arrange on a baking sheet; brush with egg and sprinkle coarse salt over each.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pretzels are browned and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes.

HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and mix together to combine. In a large jug, mix together 300ml lukewarm water and the butter. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the water, mixing together to form a rough dough.
• Tip out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10-15 mins or until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and set aside until doubled in size, about 1hr.
• Once risen, knock out the air bubbles in the dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a long rope about 60cm long.
• To form into pretzels, lay the rope in a U-shape with the curve pointing towards you. Take the two ends and cross them over.
• Take the ends, lift them backwards and press them into the curve of the U-shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Carefully place the pretzels on a baking tray lined with parchment and lightly greased with oil. Cover lightly with oiled cling film. Set aside for about 20 mins until puffy (not fully risen like bread dough).
• Fill a medium-sized saucepan with water, bring to the boil, add the baked bicarbonate of soda, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. One at a time, carefully lift the pretzels into the pan and cook for 20 secs per side. The pretzels will rise to the surface; flip with a slotted spoon.
• Use the spoon to gently lift the pretzels from the pan and return them to the baking tray. Once they have all been cooked in the water, lightly brush with the egg and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins or until a rich, dark brown. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Best served on the day made but can be frozen for up to 1 month.