German Vanillebrezeln Vanilla Pretzels Recipes

GERMAN VANILLEBREZELN (VANILLA PRETZELS)

Steps:

• Sift flour with baking powder into a wide bowl.
• form a well in flour.
• To this add butter, cut into small pieces, 1 beaten egg, vanilla, sugar and cream.
• Work ingredients together with your fingertips until you have a smooth dough that sticks together.
• Form a ball, wrap in waxed paper and chill 30 minutes.
• Break dough off in pieces slightly larger than a walnut.
• With floured hands, roll each piece to a thin rope.
• Shape into a pretzel.
• Arrange on buttered baking sheet and chill 20 minutes.
• Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with chopped almonds, then sugar.
• Bake in preheated 325 F.
• oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
• VARIATION: The almond and sugar topping may be omitted and the pretzels baked and cooled, then spread with White Sugar Glaze.
• WHITE SUGAR GLAZE: For cookies and cakes, and especially for Lebkuchen, 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, 1 teaspoon rum or brandy (optional), 1/2 to 1 1/4 Tablespoons hot water, or as needed.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, flavorings and rum or brandy.
• Gradually stir in hot water, a tablespoonful at a time, until you have a smooth thick paste.
• Spread on warm cookies.
• If mixture cools and thickens as you work, thin with additional hot water.
• Sugar sprinkles can be scattered on the glaze before it hardens.
• Makes 1/4 cup, or enough to ice about fifteen 1 1/2 inch cookies.
• Visions of Sugar Plums.

EVELYN'S GERMAN PRETZEL RECIPE

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients together. Add liquid ingredients and mix on medium speed in Kitchen Aid Mixer until a ball forms.
• Let dough rise until double in size -- about one hour.
• Form into pretzel shapes, sticks or rolls.
• To shape pretzels, roll dough (about 2 ounces) into an 18 inch rope (leave the middle a little fatter than the ends), form into a circle with about a 2 inch tail on each end, twist the cross over twice, fold in half, and press the end of the tails into the circle.
• Refrigerate pretzels for about 10 minutes, let rolls or sticks rise for 10-15 minutes.
• Dip in Lye bath for 10 seconds or boiling baking soda mixture for 30 seconds. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets. Slit with a sharp knife or razor blade. Sprinkle with pretzel salt.
• Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.

BAVARIAN PRETZELS

Steps:

• Mix brown sugar and warm water until dissolved. Sprinkle yeast over top and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Add melted butter and beer to the yeast mixture and whisk until combined. Add bread flour and salt. Mix and then knead with your hands or an electric mixer for a few minutes until a dough ball forms.
• Grease a bowl with 1 teaspoon butter. Place dough in the bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 8 hours, or overnight.
• Punch down the dough and knead until a smooth ball of dough is formed, about 1 minute. Place back in the bowl, cover, and let rise until dough has almost doubled in size, 2 to 3 more hours.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place baking soda in an oven-safe dish.
• Place baking soda in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Let cool, and then whisk into a shallow bowl of 2 1/2 cups hot water until dissolved. Mixture can be strained to remove any dissolved pieces. Reserve until needed.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each one into a ball; let sit for 5 minutes.
• To form a pretzel, roll a dough ball into a sausage shape, and then press into a small rectangle with your fingers. Fold the outside third of the dough into the center, and press flat with your fingertips, and then repeat with the edge closest to you.
• Roll the dough into a rope 15 to 18 inches long, with the center (belly) of the rope being twice as thick as the ends. Cross the ends once or twice and fold them back over the pretzel so the ends are just past the belly. Repeat to form remaining pretzels.
• Put on some thin, food-safe gloves and transfer a pretzel to the baking soda bath; soak for 20 to 30 seconds, gently splashing liquid over the top of the pretzel to coat. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet that's been greased with cooking spray. Sprinkle the still-damp pretzel with large-grain sea salt. Repeat with remaining pretzels and let rise for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• Use a razor or sharp knife to make a slash across the "belly" of each pretzel. Smaller cuts can also be made on other sides of the pretzel if desired.
• Bake in the preheated oven until well browned, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.