New Years Pretzel Bread Recipe 45

NEUJAHRSPRETZEL (NEW YEAR'S PRETZELS)

Steps:

• Heat milk and butter until very warm (120-130°F).
• Mix yeast, salt, sugar, and 1 cup flour.
• Slowly beat into warm milk.
• Beat for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and 1 cup of flour.
• Beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• Add enough flour to form a soft dough.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Place dough in a greased bowl.
• Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and let rise again until doubled (1 hour more).
• Divide dough in half.
• Shape pretzel as follows: roll dough into a rope about 30 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Cross the ends leaving a large loop in the center.
• Flip loop back onto crossed ends to form a pretzel.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Place pretzels on greased baking sheets.
• Let rise 15 minutes more.
• Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Mix confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla to form a thin icing.
• Spread icing on pretzels and sprinkle with chopped almonds.
• Makes 2 large pretzels.

NEW YEAR'S PRETZEL BREAD RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Put the scalded milk, sugar and butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and let stir until the butter and sugar are dissolved. In another small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a few grains of sugar. It should begin to foam in about 5 minutes. Add 5 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of salt, the yeast mixture and the 2 eggs to the milk mixture. Use a dough hook to mix until it is a soft, even batter. Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Continue to knead until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Take the dough out on a lightly floured board and give it a few turns to form a smooth ball. Put it into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Turn the dough out onto the board and divide in half. Roll each half into a long rope and shape into a pretzel. Lay the pretzel onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and allow to rise for another hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until dark golden-brown. (Thermometer will read 190 to 200 degrees.) Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Make a frosting by mixing the confectioner's sugar with a teaspoon of almond extract (or vanilla if you prefer) and enough water to make a spreadable icing. Pour the icing over the bread and decorate with the toasted almond slices and candied cherries.

NEW YEAR'S PRETZELS

Steps:

• Heat milk and butter until very warm (120-130 degrees F.).
• Mix yeast, salt, sugar, and 1 cup flour.
• Slowly beat into warm milk.
• Beat for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and 1 cup of flour.
• Beat for an additional 2 minutes.
• Add enough flour to form a soft dough.
• Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Place dough in a greased bowl.
• Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down and let rise again until doubled. (1 hour more).
• Divide dough in half.
• Shape pretzel as follows: Roll dough into a rope about 30 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Cross the ends leaving a large loop in the center.
• Flip loop back onto crossed ends to form a pretzel.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Place pretzels on greased baking sheets.
• Let rise 15 minutes more.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire racks.
• Mix confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla to form a thin icing.
• Spread icing on pretzels and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

GERMAN NEW YEAR'S PRETZEL (GROSSE NEUJAHRS-BREZE)

Steps:

• Measure or weigh flour into a large mixing bowl.
• Proof the yeast by dissolving it in 1 cup/250 milliliters warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Leave it in a warm place for about 15 minutes.
• When bubbles form, add it to the flour together with 1 whole egg, butter, salt , and lemon zest, and work it into a medium-stiff dough.
• Knead for several minutes or until dough becomes smooth and silky. Form it into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle a large tabletop or another work surface with flour and turn dough out onto it. Turn once to coat. Divide into 3 equal pieces (it helps to weigh them, not just eyeball them).
• Roll each into a 1-foot-long cylinder and let rest for a few minutes (this helps relax gluten ). Starting in the middle, lengthen the dough into a rope by rolling against the table top and applying pressure outwards. The middle should be thicker than the ends.
• Continue this way until you have 3 strands of dough at least 3-feet/1-meter long each. If dough continues to spring back, let it rest for a couple minutes and try again.
• Beginning in the middle, braid the 3 strands together toward each end. Pinch the ends closed. Lengthen the braid slightly by pulling on the ends.
• For good luck : Place several foil-wrapped coins (lucky pennies- Glueckspfennige ) between the braided strands. The person who finds a coin has their New Year's wish come true.
• Form braid into a pretzel shape and place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Cover with a clean dish cloth.
• Place the oven rack on the second shelf from the top. Heat oven to 350 F for 30 minutes. Make an egg wash with the egg yolk beaten together with 3 tablespoons of water. Brush the braid with it.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack .
• If you are serving the bread the same day, sprinkle with sugar for decoration. If the bread is to be kept for several days, frozen or shellacked, do not sprinkle with sugar , as it will make it soggy.
• Enjoy.

PRETZEL BREAD

Steps:

• Heat milk and butter until warm (100 degrees to 110 degrees F); the butter will not completely melt. Combine with undissolved yeast and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl. Stir in salt and 2 cups flour, beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine boiling solution and bring to a boil. Punch dough down and divide into 2 equal pieces. Form each piece into a tight, smooth ball. Boil each loaf in the solution for 2 minutes, turning after 1 minute. Remove loaves from pot using a slotted spoon and place on a greased baking sheet.
• Brush with egg wash and cut a cross in the top. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes until the loaves are evenly browned. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

GERMAN NEW YEAR PRETZEL

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup milk in a bowl; add 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Stir yeast mixture and 2 1/4 cups flour together in a bowl until dough is dry and clumpy. Allow dough to rise for 15 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup milk, butter, egg, lemon zest, and salt to dough until evenly mixed.
• Knead dough, adding more flour as needed, until dough is elastic. Cover bowl with a clean damp towel or plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 390 degrees F (199 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Gently knead dough; roll into a long rope on the prepared baking sheet and twist into a pretzel shape. Cover dough with a clean towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for 15 minutes more.
• Brush egg yolk over dough and sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over egg yolk.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

PRETZEL SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pretzel crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them, stirring once, until they smell toasty (they may not darken, and that's OK), about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Pour crumbs into the bowl of an electric stand mixer to cool. Whisk in flour, sugar and salt. Place the butter cubes on top of the flour mixture and chill until everything is very cold, at least 30 minutes.
• Using the paddle attachment, beat flour and butter mixture on low speed until it comes together into a dry, crumbly dough that just holds together when you squeeze it, 10 to 15 minutes. If the dough isn't coming together in the mixer, use your hands to knead it. It will be difficult to work with.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out and press dough into an 8-by-10-inch rectangle about 3/8-inch thick. (Alternatively, you can press the dough into a quarter sheet pan with your fingers instead of rolling). Cut into rectangles approximately 3 inches by 2 inches. Transfer rectangles to the lined baking sheet. Using the tip of a slim chopstick or a fork, poke holes all over the dough, going halfway but not all the way through. Place baking sheet in freezer until dough is frozen, at least 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 500 degrees. If using baking soda for the coating, combine it in a small pot with 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Let cool completely. Dip each cookie into the solution, letting the excess drip off, then place it back on the baking sheet. If using an egg white, whisk it with 1 tablespoon water until frothy, then brush it on top of cookies. Sprinkle the coated cookies evenly with flaky sea salt.
• Transfer baking pan to oven and immediately lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 23 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cookies, then store them in an airtight container.