Laugenbrezel (German Style Soft Pretzels) / Soft Pretzel

Pretzels are our family favorite bread and we love the famous Auntie Anne's Soft Pretzels. Pretzels are in my to do list and wanted to try it for long time. For this Month's We Knead To Bake, Aparna gave us a choice to bake Soft & Hard pretzels. I picked soft pretzels as everyone at home preferred soft pretzels. The pretzels come out perfect and except the shaping needs practice and patience. My kids love cheese dip and sweet mustard sauce but i tried Chocolate cream dipping sauce and the combo was super hit and we loved it a lot. The whole batch vanished in no time :) The pretzels were soft, bit chewy and flavorful, taste to that of the store bought ones. I wanted to try the Hard Pretzels also and will be baking it sometime soon.

Recipe source : From Here
Ingredients

1. All Purpose flour    3 and 1/4 cup
2. Salt       1 tsp
3. Sugar    1 and 1/2 tsp
4. Yeast/Instant Yeast    2 and 1/2 tsp or one 1/4 oz packet
5. Milk     1 cup
6. Water    6 cups
7. Baking Soda     2 tbsp
8. Milk     1-2 tbsp for brushing
9. Corn meal or semolina    1 tsp
10. Sesame seeds     1 tbsp

Method

• In a mixing bowl, add 3 cups flour, salt, sugar and yeast and combine well.

• Then add milk and make a dough. Knead for about 6 - 8 minutes (add flour as needed if the dough feels too sticky) until the dough is soft and elastic. Place dough in an oiled bowl and allow to rise.

• It takes about 40-60 minutes to rise. After that deflate the dough, cover and let it rest 5 minutes. Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Work with one portion at a time and cover remaining dough to prevent it drying.

• Roll each portion into an 18-inch-long rope with tapered ends. Cross one end of rope over the other to form a circle, leaving about 4 inches at end of each rope.
• Twist the rope at the base of the circle. Fold the ends over the circle and into a traditional pretzel shape, pinching gently to seal.
• Place pretzels on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise 10 minutes,pretzels will rise only slightly.

• Put the 6 cups of water and baking soda in a non-aluminium pan and bring to a boil.
• Turn down the heat and simmer. Gently lower a pretzel into the simmering water.
• Cook on each side for about 15 seconds. The pretzel will puff up a bit.
• Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a greased wire rack.
• This will prevent the pretzel from sticking to the rack. Repeat with the remaining pretzels.
• Place the pretzels on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal or semolina. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake at 425 F for 12 minutes or until pretzels are deep golden brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Then serve with desired dipping sauce.

For Chocolate Cream Dipping Sauce:

Chocolate Cream Dipping Sauce
Whip 1/2 C of whipping cream and add in 3 Tbsp Dark Chocolate Spread or Nutella.

This is off to Aparna's We Knead to Bake # 8 and Linking to Bake Fest #22 hosted by Manjula.