Germany Brezel (Pretzel)
Brezel are an almost perfect salty, warm, and portable snack that are newly ubiquitous on German streets and beyond. Soft pretzels are an excellent vehicle for dipping sauces, although the true German favorite is a strong mustard. Brezel traditionally get their unique flavor and color from being dipped in a mixture of water and lye prior to baking, though baking soda is commonly used to achieve the same effect as the lye.
Recipe Servings: 24
Prep Time
15 minutes
+ 1 hour 15 minutes resting
+ 1 hour 15 minutes resting
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 10 cups (2.35 L) warm water, divided
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
- 2 packets (about 14 g) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 6 cups (720 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- ¾ cup (90 g) baking soda
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water
- Coarse salt, as needed to garnish
- Dipping sauces, as needed
Directions
- Pour 2 cups (480 ml) of warm water into a large bowl.
- Stir in brown sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top.
- Let mixture stand until the yeast begins to foam, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in vegetable oil and 3 cups (360 g) of flour, mixing to combine before kneading in the remainder of the flour and transferring the dough to a floured work surface.
- Knead dough until it is completely smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Form dough into a ball, transfer it into an oiled bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let dough rest for about 45 minutes, during which time it should double in size.
- Line three baking trays with greased parchment paper.
- Punch dough down, transfer it to a floured surface, knead it, and divide it into 24 equal parts.
- Roll each piece of dough into a stick, about 9 inches (23 cm) long and ½-inch (1.3 cm) wide.
- Place the sticks on the lined trays, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) of space between each one.
- Let them rise for about 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Combine baking soda with the remaining 2 quarts of water in a large pot.
- Bring mixture to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium.
- Place dough into the hot water carefully, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
- Cook each piece for about 30 seconds before using tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer them to the baking sheets.
- Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle them with coarse salt.
- Bake pretzels for about 10 minutes or until golden-brown.
- Serve pretzels warm with dipping sauces.
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