Hard Pretzels Salzstangen Food

HOMEMADE HARD PRETZELS

Steps:

• Combine the warm water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line 4 half sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Place enough water into a large roasting pan to come 1/3 of the way up the sides of the pan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 1-ounce portions, approximately 36 pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 14 to15-inch long stick and place on the sheet pans, 1/4-inch apart. Cover the dough not being used with a slightly damp towel to help prevent drying out.
• Gently place 6 to 8 pretzels at a time into the water for 30 seconds. Remove the pretzels back to the sheet pan, brush with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until golden brown in color and hard, approximately 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

HARD PRETZELS - SALZSTANGEN II

Steps:

• Mix flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add butter into flour mix.
• Blend in the cream.
• Form the pretzels as you wish and put them on the baking tray.
• Brush with egg and sprinkle with coarse salt, grated cheese, cummin or what ever you wish.
• Bake in hot oven (275-300 degrees Celsius) for about 10 minutes.

HARD PRETZELS - SALZSTANGEN

Steps:

• Mix the ingredients into a dough and let it yeast about half an hour in varm place.
• Bake it into any form you want.
• Brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with coarse salt and what ever other you want, for example cummin seeds, sesamy seeds or parmesan cheese.
• Bake in 225 degrees Celsius (437 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 10 minutes.

PRETZEL CHICKEN WITH DIJON OR HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• In a blender or food processor, pulse the hard pretzels until coarsely ground with the cayenne (optional); you are going for a mixture that has both coarse and ground pretzels. Transfer to a shallow bowl or plate and set aside.
• In a clean blender or food processor, add oil, mustards, water and vinegar (and optional cayenne) and blend until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add half of the dressing to another shallow bowl or container, add chicken and coat with dressing. Dredge the chicken in the pretzel crumbs to cover all sides and transfer to a rack that is placed on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Place chicken in the upper third of the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Slice or serve whole and either warm or at room temperature with the remaining mustard dressing.

PRETZELS - HARD AND SOFT

Steps:

• SOFT PRETZELS:
• Dissolve yeast in water, add salt and sugar.
• Blend in all the flour and knead until smooth.
• When smooth, cut dough into small pieces and roll into ropes. Twist ropes into conventional pretzel shapes and place on a paper-lined cookie sheet.
• Brush pretzels with beaten egg, sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake in a 425 degree oven for 12-15 minutes, or until brown. These do not keep long.
• HARD PRETZELS:
• Do everthing above, but decrease water to 1-1/4 cups and add 1/4 cup of melted butter.
• Make pretzels smaller and bake until browned.
• These pretzels will stay good for months in a tight container.

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.