New Years Pretzels Food

NEUJAHRSPRETZEL (NEW YEAR'S PRETZELS)

Steps:

• Heat milk and butter until very warm (120-130°F).
• Mix yeast, salt, sugar, and 1 cup flour.
• Slowly beat into warm milk.
• Beat for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and 1 cup of flour.
• Beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• Add enough flour to form a soft dough.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Place dough in a greased bowl.
• Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and let rise again until doubled (1 hour more).
• Divide dough in half.
• Shape pretzel as follows: roll dough into a rope about 30 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Cross the ends leaving a large loop in the center.
• Flip loop back onto crossed ends to form a pretzel.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Place pretzels on greased baking sheets.
• Let rise 15 minutes more.
• Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Mix confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla to form a thin icing.
• Spread icing on pretzels and sprinkle with chopped almonds.
• Makes 2 large pretzels.

NEW YEAR'S GOOD LUCK PRETZEL

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water with yeast & sugar, Set aside for a few minutes to proof & become bubbly.
• Add the egg, salt & oil; blend in. Combine flour & dry milk powder. Slowly start adding flour/milk mixture, stirring until you get a soft, pliable dough. Cover with a tea towel & set in a warm, draft-free place until dough doubles in size.
• Once the dough has risen, divide one quarter from the main ball & set aside. Roll the remaining dough into one long 'snake', with the middle being the widest & tapering slightly at the ends. Shape into a pretzel on the prepared baking sheet. Divide the remaining quarter of the dough into three equal pieces & roll into long, even 'snakes'. Braid together.
• Whisk together the egg wash & generously brush the entire pretzel. On the bottom part, attach the braid. Brush the braid with more egg wash & sprinkle with pearl sugar & sprinkle with cinnamon if you wish. Place in a warm draft-free place & allow to rise for about 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Bake pretzel for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack before serving.

NEW YEAR'S PRETZELS

Steps:

• Heat milk and butter until very warm (120-130 degrees F.).
• Mix yeast, salt, sugar, and 1 cup flour.
• Slowly beat into warm milk.
• Beat for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and 1 cup of flour.
• Beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• Add enough flour to form a soft dough.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Place dough in a greased bowl.
• Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and let rise again until doubled. (1 hour more).
• Divide dough in half.
• Shape pretzel as follows: Roll dough into a rope about 30 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Cross the ends leaving a large loop in the center.
• Flip loop back onto crossed ends to form a pretzel.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Place pretzels on greased baking sheets.
• Let rise 15 minutes more.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Mix confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla to form a thin icing.
• Spread icing on pretzels and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

EASY NEW YEARS PRETZEL (NEUJAHRSBREZEL)

Steps:

• Add the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm milk. Stir, cover and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes. At the surface of the milk some bubbles should appear. (see image). If the bubbles do not appear the milk might have been too hot.
• Preheat your oven to the lowest setting. Mine is 50 degrees.
• Now add the yeast to the flour, butter, egg, and salt and knead to a homogeneous dough for about 10 minutes. Place the dough into a bowl and cover with a tea towel. Turn off your oven and place the bowl into it. Leave to rise for about 40 minuites.
• Now briefly knead the dough through again. Remove 1/4 of the dough and set aside.
• Form the remaining dough into a roll, about 45 cm (17.7 inches) long. Make your that the ends of the roll are tapered to a point.
• Line a baking tray with baking parchment. As the pretzel is really large it might be easier to shape the pretzel directly on the tray.
• To form new years pretzels take the roll and lay it in a "U" shape. In the middle take both and twist them around each other. The ends get pressed against the pretzel belly (the lower part of the pretzel).
• Cover the pretzel with a tea towel and leave to rise for a further 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, divide the remaing 1/4 of the dough and divide into three equal parts. Roll each part into a long thin roll (about 30 cm). Then lay the three rolls into a braid.
• Brush the lower part of the pretzel (the pretzel belly) with some water and lay the braid on top. Cover and leave to rest for a further 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 190°C/ 374°F top to bottom heat. Mix the egg yolk with the 2 tablespoons of milk.
• After the resting time brush the pretzel evenly with the egg yolk mixture. If you like you can sprinkle it with pearl sugar. Then place in the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes. The exact baking time depends on your oven. To check whether the new years pretzel is done, pick the deepest part with a skewer. If it comes out clean it is done.
• Serve the same day. Tastes delicious with butter, jam or chocolate spread.

GERMAN NEW YEAR PRETZEL

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup milk in a bowl; add 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir yeast mixture and 2 1/4 cups flour together in a bowl until dough is dry and clumpy. Allow dough to rise for 15 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk, butter, egg, lemon zest, and salt to dough until evenly mixed.
• Knead dough, adding more flour as needed, until dough is elastic. Cover bowl with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 390 degrees F (199 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Gently knead dough; roll into a long rope on the prepared baking sheet and twist into a pretzel shape. Cover dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for 15 minutes more.
• Brush egg yolk over dough and sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over egg yolk.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.