Soft Pretzels

I wanted to make Pretzel similar to the one we get at the Malls and after doing a lot of research on the Internet for this recipe, I have come up with my version below. It tastes very similar to the Pretzels available at all Malls. Hope you enjoy it too. This recipe makes around 10 medium sized pretzels.

Ingredients:

For the Pretzel:

• 2 cup All Purpose Flour/ Maida
• 2 tablespoons Ghee (Clarified Butter)
• 3/4 cup Warm Water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Active dry Yeast
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Coarse salt/ Koshers Salt (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons butter (melted)

For the Soda Bath:

• 1 cup Warm Water
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

Method:

1) Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl and stir to dissolve.

2) Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve.
3) Add flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle more flour till you are able to knead it well without it sticking to your hands.
4) Let the dough rise for atleast 1 hour.
5) Once the dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long thin rope about 1/2 inch or less thick and shape it like a pretzel. See the illustrations below to shape them.

 

6) Now prepare a baking soda water bath by adding the baking soda to the warm water. Be certain to stir often.

7) Dip pretzels in the soda solution and place them on a parchment paper and allow them to stand for 30 min. 
8) Preheat the oven to 450 F and bake the pretzels for around 8 min or until golden.
9) Brush with melted butter and add the coarse salt to taste. Yummy Pretzels are ready. Enjoy!

Variations:

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels:

Melt a stick of butter in a shallow bowl, big enough to fit the entire pretzel and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon powder and sugar. Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Pretzels:

I love adding a spicy touch to my pretzels. Add a finely chopped/ coarsely ground Jalapeno pepper to the flour while mixing the dough. The rest of the procedure remains the same.

Suggestions/ Notes:

1. The Baking Soda solution should be really warm and stirred well before dipping the pretzels. This solution makes the pretzels golden brown, so if they weren't evenly coated or if the solution wasn't well mixed, you might get some uneven browning.
2. If you dont have Parchment paper, bloat the pretzels on a paper towel before baking them or else you will get a bitter taste.
3. If Ghee is not available, you may replace it with melted butter for this recipe.
4. The Pretzels are to be eaten hot. They become a little hard and chewy when cold. So just warm it up in microwave and they will be as good as new.