Pretzels

This recipe is for soft pretzels which are great for a tasty snack. Serve with a glass of fresh juice or serve sweet pretzels with a glass of milk.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil (for greasing the baking tray and bowl)
1 x 7g sachet fast action yeast
2 x 5ml spoons brown sugar
Pinch salt
400ml hand-hot water
650g strong white bread flour
75ml water
1 x 15ml spoon baking powder
15g butter

Sweet toppings
1 x 5ml spoon sugar per pretzel
Pinch ground cinnamon per pretzel

Savoury toppings
1 x 5ml spoon grated Parmesan cheese per pretzel

Equipment

Weighing scales
Baking tray
Measuring spoons
Pastry brush
2 x Mixing bowl
Measuring jug
Saucepan
Wooden spoon
Clean, damp tea towel
Shallow dish
Grater (optional)
Oven gloves
Wire rack

Instructions

1. Grease the baking tray and put the yeast, brown sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.
2. Turn on the hob to a high heat. Heat 400ml water in the saucepan until it is warm (about the
   temperature of your bath water). If it is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
3. Add the warm water to the mixing bowl and stir. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
4. Stir the flour into the mixture and knead for 5–10 minutes until the dough is springy and elastic. Use your knuckles to push the dough away from you, fold it in half and repeat.
5. Brush a little oil around one of the mixing bowls and place the dough inside it. Cover with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. It should double in size.
6. While your dough is rising, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan or gas mark 6.
7. Once the dough has risen, divide it into 8–12 equal pieces. With your hands roll each piece into a rope and shape each rope into a pretzel. Pretzels are usually a figure of 8 shape but you can make them any shape you like – how about your initials?
8. Heat 75ml water on the hob until warm.
9. In a shallow dish, stir the baking powder into the warm water. Brush the Pretzels with the mixture and lay the coated pretzels onto the baking tray.
10. Sprinkle the pretzels to taste with your preferred topping. Use grated Parmesan cheese for savoury pretzels, sugar and cinnamon for sweet pretzels.
11. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes until golden brown.
12. Remove the pretzels from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
13. Melt the butter over a low heat. Brush the pretzels with melted butter.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, mixing/combining, kneading, baking and cooling.

Something to try next time

• For stronger flavoured sweet pretzels add 1 x 5ml spoon of ground cinnamon at step 3.
• For a savoury option try sprinkling with a pinch of paprika, dried thyme or oregano. Add the toppings just before you put the pretzels in the oven.

Prepare now, eat later

• Keep the pretzels in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a warm oven until hot.
• Alternatively freeze the fresh pretzels in a container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. Defrost and heat in a warm oven until hot.