A unicorn, cash-flow & pretzels
I think its only fitting that my very first recipe post is dedicated to my PRETZELS! These amazing soft pretzels have a huge following among family and friends and I’ve always got them in my freezer ready for impromptu guests and school lunches.
I always say that baking is my yoga. Nothing lifts my spirits or relaxes me more than playing with flour. The day I first made these was no exception.
It was October of last year and I was rushing to get out of the mall. I had just spent $24.99 plus tax on a unicorn onesie for my daughter to wear as her halloween costume, and I was not happy. I had quit my job 4 months before (more on that in another post) and the new financial reality had just started to set in. I’m big on making halloween costumes from scratch, but for some reason that I can’t remember (probably guilt), I agreed to buy her this onesie. I was booking it out of the mall, the whole time planning out an age appropriate lesson in cash flow for my kids, and I was in a mood. Then it hit me. The buttery, freshly baked smell of heaven also known as Auntie Anne’s Pretzels. My feet went on auto-pilot and I found myself in front of the counter with my wallet in hand. Surely I deserved a pretzel, but the carefully crafted cash-flow lesson was on repeat in my head. Damn it. I stared at them.
I can make these.
I’m a good baker.
It can't be hard.
Screw the cash-flow lesson.
I AM THE CASH-FLOW LESSON!
So I went home.
All of my recipes start the same way. I find something that looks good, follow the recipe to the letter the first time, and then tweak it so I can get similar results with less fuss. I’m impatient, so 20 ingredients and 3 separate mixing bowls are not going to fly. I found this recipe, and to be honest, I’ve never actually made it as written. Here’s how I do it:
INGREDIENTS: for 6 pretzels
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp (one packet) dry active yeast
2 tbsp diced unsalted butter, plus 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup baking soda
3 cups warm water
2 tsp coarse salt
DIRECTIONS
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the hook attachment, stir together the flour and 1/2 tsp of salt.
2. In a small pot over medium heat, warm the milk and brown sugar. I’ve never measured the temperature, I just test it with a clean finger. It should feel warm, but not burn. Turn the heat off and add the yeast and diced butter into the pot. Give it a stir and let it sit for a minute or two for the yeast to bloom and the butter to soften.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour and salt and mix it on low until most of the flour has been incorporated. Increase the speed to medium. The dough should come away from the sides of the bowl and form a slightly sticky ball. If the dough is too wet, add more flour, a couple tablespoons at a time. Set the bowl aside, covered with cellophane and a blanket for about 45 minutes to an hour. Laugh if you must at the blanket, but that’s how my mom always proofed her dough. So there.
4. Preheat your oven to 400°, convection bake if you’ve got it. Punch down the dough and then take it out of the bowl and knead it on a smooth surface. If your dough is sticking too much, dust the surface with flour. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. Eye-ball it.
5. Roll each piece out to roughly 30” long ropes that are about 1/4” in diameter. The measurements are not crucial. A thicker rope tastes just as good. If it helps, you can pick up each end of the rope and slap it down on the surface. Its fun! Once you have the right length shape it into a pretzel.
6. When you have all 6 pretzels formed, mix the baking soda and warm
water in a bowl or baking dish. It needs to be a big enough vessel that you can fit a pretzel in. Dip the pretzels into the baking soda solution and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the corse salt onto the pretzels. Bake them for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Oven times will vary.
7. Once pretzels are baked, brush them generously with the remaining butter. Eat them warm.
PRETZEL DIP
I keep dijon mustard in the fridge at all times just for this dip.
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsps brown sugar (packed)
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Mix all the ingredients together until the sugar dissolves, and enjoy it with warm pretzels.
TIPS
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can do it old school. Pile up your flour and salt on a flat surface. Make a large indentation in the middle of the pile - like a flat volcano. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the middle and start mixing in the flour with a fork. Once a dough starts to form, get in there with both hands and knead the dough. Knead it well, the more the better, until you a get a smooth and slightly sticky dough.
For 12 pretzels, double all the ingredients except the yeast. Use 3 tsps of yeast.
To freeze the pretzels, skip the baking soda solution. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Place the pretzels on top and freeze the tray for 3 hours or overnight. Once frozen, put the frozen pretzels into a freezer bag. They will keep for at least 3 months. When you are ready to bake, dip the frozen pretzels into the baking soda solution and sprinkle with corse salt. Bake as above and brush them with melted butter.
For sweet pretzels, skip the course salt, brush the melted butter onto the baked pretzels, and then dip them into a mix of cinnamon and sugar.
For pizza pretzels. Skip the baking soda solution and corse salt. Top the pretzels with pizza sauce, grated mozzarella and sliced pepperoni.