Alien Pretzels Recipes

ALIEN PRETZELS (HALLOWEEN TREATS) RECIPE - (4.6/5)

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Arrange pretzels on the waxed paper. Working with one color at a time of the candy melts, melt as directed on package. Spoon it into a plastic ziptop sandwich bag then snip off one corner and pipe into top holes of desired number of pretzels. (I did 4-5 of one color at a time.) Gently place a M&M (or other small candy) in the centers of the piped candy. Repeat steps for the other pretzels, working with one color of candy melts at a time or the mixture will harden too quickly to pipe. Allow time for the candy to set.

HOMEMADE SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
• Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
• In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
• Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.

AUNT ANNIE'S PRETZELS

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.
• Add sugar, salt, and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.
• Let rise at least 1/2 hour.
• While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbs.
• baking soda.
• Be certain to stir often.
• After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.
• Dip pretzel into soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.
• Allow pretzel to rise again.
• Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until golden.
• Brush with melted butter and enjoy!
• Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.
• Or for Auntie Anne's famous cinnamon sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another bowl, make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.
• dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously.
• then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.

AWESOME ALIEN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, line 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper. In large bowl, place cereal.
• In 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows; stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in orange food color. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal in bowl, stirring until well coated.
• For feet, place 2 gummy candies on cookie sheet. Spray inside of 1/4-cup measuring cup with cooking spray. For body, fill measuring cup with warm cereal mixture; place over feet, releasing cereal mixture and covering back half of feet. Repeat with remaining gummy candies and cereal mixture to make 24 aliens. Use 2 candy-coated chocolate candies for eyes and black decorating gel to make centers of eyes. Insert 2 pretzels for antennae.
• Stir green food color into frosting container; frost cupcakes with frosting. Place 1 alien on top of each cupcake; press gently to secure. Store uncovered.

ALMOST-FAMOUS SOFT PRETZELS (AUNTIE ANNE'S COPY CAT)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons of the butter and soften; stir into mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until double in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly flour surface. (If dough seems tight, cover and let rise until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece in the palms of your hands into a 30 inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.
• Dissolve the baking soda in the water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter in a shallow dish. Dip the hot pretzels in the butter, turning to coat; place on a wire rack to let excess butter to drip off. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce or cream cheese.

CACIO E PEPE TARALLI (SAVORY ITALIAN PRETZELS)

Steps:

• Combine flour, pepper, and salt in a mixing bowl, and stir with a spoon to combine. Pour in wine and olive oil. Mix until dough starts to come together. Knead by hand until dough is smooth and slightly elastic, about 3 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Unwrap dough and cut into 4 pieces. Roll each piece out with your palms into ropes about 10 to 12 inches long. Cut each rope into 3 pieces; roll each piece to a length of 5 or 6 inches. Twist the ends a few times and press them together to form a ring, twisting as needed to fully seal the ends.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat (such as SILPAT®).
• Bring a pan of water (at least 3 inches) to a boil. Drop in 4 rings of dough at a time. Boil until rings float to the top, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a towel-lined plate. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Sprinkle Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over each ring; flip and grate more cheese on the other side. Flip back to the first side and apply one last grating of cheese, or until rings are thoroughly coated.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden and crunchy, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet onto a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.