Pretzel Bites With Quick Cheddar Dip Food

PRETZEL CHEESE SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the butter, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute.
• Warm the milk in the microwave 15 to 20 seconds. Slowly pour the milk into the saucepan, while whisking constantly. Continue whisking until thickened (but still pourable). Watch it carefully.
• Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until smooth. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
• Stir in salt and pepper. Add amount of hot sauce you prefer. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in 1 to 2 Tablespoons warmed milk.
• Place in a mini crockpot to keep warm and gooey. If it thickens, reheat in the microwave 15 seconds. Serve with pretzels, tortilla chips, or vegetables.

SOFT PRETZEL BITES

Steps:

• Place 1 1/2 cups water, butter, brown sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Mix until well combined. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
• Turn mixer on low speed and add 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time. Add additional 1/2 cup flour if dough appears sticky. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle in more flour if dough still seems a little tacky.
• Oil a large mixing bowl. Add the ball of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a sheet pan with cooking spray.
• Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a large saucepan. Slowly add baking soda and return to a boil.
• Meanwhile, remove dough from the bowl, flatten into a disc shape, and cut into 8 wedges. Roll each wedge into a 24-inch rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.
• Drop batches of dough pieces into the boiling water for about 35 seconds. Remove to the prepared sheet pan. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush over the tops of each boiled dough piece. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

PRETZEL BITES WITH QUICK CHEDDAR DIP

Steps:

• Make Pretzel Dough:
• Stir together warm water and yeast in a large bowl and let stand until a creamy beige foam develops on the surface, about 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, start over with new yeast.)
• Meanwhile, in a smaller bowl, stir together flour, salt, and light brown sugar.
• Add flour mixture and butter to yeast mixture, and stir together first with a wooden spoon and then with your hands, until it forms a dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until it is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes, dusting with more flour as needed if dough sticks to work surface.
• Transfer dough to a lightly oiled large bowl and turn over to coat with oil. Cover with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at room temperature until doubled, 2 to 3 hours.
• Alternatively, after kneading, let dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer to oiled bowl as above, and let rise in the refrigerator overnight (12 hours or up to 2 days).
• Punch down dough and divide into quarters. Form each quarter into 4 balls. Roll each ball into a 12-inch-long rope. Cut each rope into six (2-inch) pieces, and transfer to wax paper-lined rimmed baking sheets.
• Bake Pretzels:
• Heat oven to 450°F with racks in upper and lower third. Well oil 2 large baking sheets (about 17- by 12- inches).
• In a 4- to 5-quart saucepan, bring water and baking soda to a boil (mixture will be foamy at first, but foam will dissipate). Add 12 pretzel bites and cook 30 seconds (they will rise to the surface almost immediately), then transfer with a slotted spoon to baking sheets. Quickly sprinkle pretzel bites lightly on both sides with pretzel salt before they dry (so salt sticks). Repeat with remaining pretzel bites, returning water to a boil between batches.
• Bake pretzel bites in oven, switching sheets between racks and rotating sheets halfway through baking, until deep chestnut brown, 8 to 10 minutes (watch closely toward end of baking; bites brown quickly in last few minutes). Immediately transfer pretzel bites to wire racks to cool.
• Make Cheddar Dip:
• Purée cheese with 6 tablespoons wine or water in a food processor fitted with knife blade, stopping and scraping down sides with a spatula occasionally, until mixture is creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Thin to desired consistency with additional wine or water, adding it 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve immediately, or chill, covered, and return to room temperature before serving.

PRETZEL DOUGH

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.
• Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.
• Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda.
• Be certain to stir often.
• After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.
• Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.
• Allow pretzels to rise again.
• Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.
• Brush with melted butter and enjoy!
• Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.

CHEESY PRETZEL DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a boil; reduce heat. Add cheddar cheese; whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add cream cheese, sour cream, mustard, and hot sauce; whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer sauce to serving dish. Serve sauce warm with pretzels. If the sauce starts to cool and firm up, heat it in the microwave on low power, stirring frequently.

BEER CHEESE AND SOFT PRETZEL BITES

Steps:

• Make the soft pretzel bites: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a cooling rack covered with paper towels.
• Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large stockpot. (It may seem like a small amount of water for a large pot, but once you add baking soda it'll foam up.)
• While the water comes to a boil, place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 equal pieces. Roll each portion into a long rope. Cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces.
• When the water is boiling, add the baking soda and sugar. Cook the dough pieces, in batches, for 30 seconds. Drain on the paper towels.
• Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Dip the tops of the pretzels in the egg wash and sprinkle with salt. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until the pretzel bites are nicely browned, 9 to 10 minutes.
• For the beer cheese: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the beer until the mixture is smooth, then add the half-and-half. Simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and House Seasoning. Gradually add the cheese and stir until smooth. Season to taste. Serve the pretzel bites with the beer cheese.
• Stir together the garlic and onion powders, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

DIJON-BACON DIP FOR PRETZELS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, bacon and horseradish. Cover and chill until serving. Serve with pretzels.