Bavarian Pretzels

Photo and Recipe from The Food Nanny

 

Makes: 12 medium pretzels

Pretzel bites: (a couple of dozen)

Ingredients

• 1 tsp White sugar
• 4 tsp Red Star active dry yeast
• 1 ¾ Cups Warm water between 100-110 degrees
• 5 Cups white flour
• 1/2 Cup White sugar
• 1 ½ tsp Coarse Salt
• 1 tbsp Canola Oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup More warm water if needed
• 1/2 Cup Baking Soda
• 4 Cups Hot water (as hot as you can get it out of the tap) French Gray Salt as desired for sprinkling on the Pretzels.

Instructions

1. In a small bowl put 1 teaspoon sugar. Add the yeast and 1 ¾ cups warm water. Stir gently. Cover and let rise until foamy. About 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer add:

   5 cups white Kamut, ½ cup sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Blend well. Add the yeast mixture, canola, and honey. Mix thoroughly. Add ¼ to ½ cup warm water to get the consistency of soft dough. Combine. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and Knead by hand or knead in the mixer for up to 7 minutes.

3. Put a little olive oil in a large bowl and place the kneaded dough into bowl. Cover with a dish towel and let rise 1 hour and 10 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Push the dough out onto the counter and cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece by hand about 20 inches long. Shape into a Pretzel. Set aside on the counter. Continue shaping the dough into Pretzels until you have 12 Pretzels.

5. Spray a baking sheet with oil. In a large bowl mix the hot water and soda together. Mix until dissolved. Immediately dunk each pretzel into the hot soda mixture. Place on greased baking sheet, sprinkle with French Gray Salt as desired. Place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes.

6. Serve right out of the oven or place on cooling rack to cool.