Pretzel Crescent Rolls Food

SOFT PRETZELS TWO WAYS

Steps:

• For the baking soda bath: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Spread out the baking soda on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Set aside to cool. This can be prepped ahead and stored in an airtight container for several weeks. (Even though the baked baking soda isn't as strong as lye, what is traditionally used for making pretzels, it could still potentially irritate your skin, so avoid touching it with bare hands once it's out of the oven.)
• To make the baking soda bath: Place the baked baking soda in an 8-inch square baking dish and add 2 cups of water. Gently whisk it to dissolve the baking soda. (It likely won't all dissolve; a few baking soda chunks are totally okay as long as you remove any that stick to the dough.) Set aside.
• For the pretzels: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Unroll the dough with a long edge facing you. Cut twelve 1-inch vertical strips.
• One at a time, twist 6 of the strips a few turns, then form into circles and press the ends together. Transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets, leaving room between each circle. These will be the savory pretzels.
• Cut the remaining 6 strips into 1-by-2-inch rectangles and transfer to the other prepared baking sheet, leaving room between each rectangle. These will be the sweet pretzels.
• Working in batches using gloved hands, tongs or a slotted spoon, immerse the pretzel dough pieces in the baking soda bath for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate or pan lined with a paper towel and pat them dry; place them back on the baking sheet.
• Brush the dough with the egg wash. Sprinkle the circles with flaky salt and the rectangles with cinnamon sugar. Bake until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes for the rectangles and about 15 minutes for the circles.
• Serve the savory pretzels with the Obatzda (Beer Cheese) and the sweet pretzels with the Glaze for dipping.
• Combine the cheese, butter, beer, cream, chives, paprika, caraway if using, onion and some salt and pepper in a food processor and blend to combine until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Top with additional paprika and chives.
• Add the sugar, milk and vanilla to a bowl and whisk until smooth. If too thick, add more milk as needed. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. Serve with sweet pretzel bites!

PRETZEL ROLLS

Steps:

• For the dough: Combine the milk and 6 tablespoons of the butter in a pot. Stir in the sugar. Scald the milk mixture slightly by heating it almost to a boil. Turn off the heat and let cool until just warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• Add the flour, yeast, baking soda and salt to the milk mixture in the pot and stir until well combined. Cover the pot with a dish towel and place in a warm spot in the kitchen. Let the dough rise for an hour or so. It should roughly double in size.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll each into a neat ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a dish towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for another 20 minutes.
• For the water bath: While the dough is rising, bring a pot with 10 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the baking soda.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small pot or in the microwave.
• Working in 3 batches of 4 rolls each, drop the dough balls into the water and boil for 30 seconds. Transfer the boiled balls to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.
• To bake the rolls: Transfer the rolls to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make a small "x" in the top of each roll. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake until deep brown, about 15 minutes.

PRETZEL ROLLS

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a small saucepan until a thermometer registers 110 degrees F. Pour into a medium bowl; sprinkle with the yeast and let soften, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the flour and fine salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. With the mixer on low speed, add the yeast mixture and butter and mix until the dough is slightly smooth and soft but still sticky, about 2 minutes. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray; add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Generously coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Stretch into a 16-inch-long log, about 2 inches wide; cut into 8 even pieces. Roll and stretch each piece into a 6-inch-long rope, then wind into a coil; tuck the end underneath. Transfer the rolls to the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature 15 minutes, then refrigerate until slightly puffed, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Fill a large pot or deep skillet with 3 inches of water. Add the baking soda and 1/4 cup coarse salt and bring to a boil. Add half of the rolls and cook until slightly puffed, about 1 minute, flipping halfway through with a slotted spoon. Recoat the baking sheet with cooking spray and return the rolls to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Brush the rolls lightly with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Transfer to the oven and bake until the rolls are deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes on the pan, then remove the rolls to the rack to cool completely.

PRETZEL CRESCENT ROLLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
• In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat 10 cups water and the baking soda to boiling over high heat.
• In small bowl, beat egg and 1 tablespoon water with fork until well mixed. Set aside.
• Unroll dough onto work surface and separate into 8 triangles. Starting at shortest side of each triangle and stretching dough slightly, roll up loosely to opposite point. Bring ends of dough together and pinch lightly.
• Place rolls, 2 at a time, in boiling soda water and cook 30 seconds. With slotted spoon, remove from water and place on paper towel. Repeat with remaining rolls.
• Lightly brush tops with egg mixture. Sprinkle each with sesame seed and pinch of salt.
• Using metal pancake turner, carefully transfer rolls to cookie sheet. If necessary, reshape rolls into pretzel shape.
• Bake until deep golden brown (11-13 minutes). Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

SOFT HOMEMADE PRETZELS

Steps:

• Stir yeast into 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; beat in flour, sugar, shortening, and salt to make a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
• Place dough into a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and divide into 12 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece into a rope 18 to 20 inches long.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Shape each rope of dough into a pretzel on the prepared baking sheet; let pretzels rest for 5 minutes. Beat egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and brush yolk mixture over each pretzel; sprinkle each with coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pretzels are golden brown, about 15 minutes.