Sourdough Pretzels Recipes

SOFT SOURDOUGH PRETZELS RECIPE

Steps:

• 12 hours before you plan to mix the dough, add the ingredients to make ½ cup (100 g) of active sourdough starter to a clean jar. Stir until combined, loosely cover the jar and let the starter rise at room temperature. (The ingredients will create a total of 115 g active starter but, because some of it will stick to the sides of the jar during the transfer, we are making a little more than needed.) The sourdough starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are plenty of bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the active sourdough starter, water, honey and salt with a spatula. Add the bread flour and use your hands to bring the ingredients together as best as possible. The dough will be very stiff. Place the dough hook on the mixer and mix the dough on the lowest speed for 6-7 minutes. (Or knead by hand for 10 minutes.) Cover the bowl and let rest at room temperature for 8-12 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into 16 equal pieces.
• Working one piece at a time, roll the dough into a long rope shape and set it on a clean surface in the shape of a "U". Lift the ends of the rope and twist 2 times. Fold the twist over and press the ends on the dough. Cover the dough with a towel and let rise for 30-60 minutes or until puffy.
• Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) making sure that the oven rack in the center position. Boil the water in a large stockpot and add 2 tablespoons baking soda and 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar.
• Boil the pretzels, 3-4 at a time, on both sides for 30 seconds each, making sure not to crowd the pot. Use a mesh stainer to remove the pretzels and place back on the parchment paper. Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
• Bake the pretzels at 425°F (218°C) for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

SOURDOUGH SOFT PRETZELS

Steps:

• Combine flour, sourdough starter, water, powdered milk, butter, brown sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until dough comes together. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if dough is dry.
• Remove dough from the bowl and shape into a ball. Clean and dry bowl; grease lightly. Return dough to the bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly greased surface. Fold and shape into a rectangle. Divide equally into 12 pieces. Keep pieces covered with plastic wrap while working. Roll out 1 piece at a time into a rope about 18 inches long.
• Loop and twist 1 rope into a pretzel shape. Place on a baking sheet while you finish rolling out and shaping the remaining pretzels.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Bring 3 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in baking soda until dissolved. Lower 1 pretzel into the boiling water bath for 30 seconds, flipping halfway through. Remove using a large flat spatula and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pretzels.
• Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water to make egg wash. Brush each pretzel with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dark golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush each pretzel with melted butter. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

SOURDOUGH PRETZELS

Steps:

• Baking Soda Bake
• Preheat your oven to 250°F.
• Spread the baking soda on an aluminum pie pan or on a small baking sheet covered with aluminum foil.
• Bake the baking soda for 1 hour, then allow it to cool.
• The baked baking soda can be stored indefinitely in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Dough Mixing and Bulk Fermentation
• Put the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with a paddle attachment on low speed until the dough comes together.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl, switch to a dough hook, and mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes.
• If you hand-mix the dough, after you incorporate the ingredients in a bowl, knead the dough for about 5 to 10 minutes on a floured countertop.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, clean bowl, cover, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• Lift the entire dough out of the bowl with both hands, stretch it until it is long (without tearing it), and roll it up into a ball. Then turn it 90° in your hands and repeat this stretching and rolling. Return the dough to the bowl and cover.
• Let the dough continue to rise until it has close to doubled in size, about 4 to 8 hours from the initial mixing.
• Pre-Shape and Bench Rest
• Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and de-gas it, pressing out all air pockets. Divide the dough into 10 pieces, about 108 grams each. (The total dough weight is 1,082 grams.)
• Pre-shape the dough into 10 small tubes (about 6 inches long).
• Lightly dampen a tea towel and use it to cover the dough as it rests for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Shaping
• Prepare two baking sheets with lightly oiled parchment paper.
• Roll a dough tube under your palms until it is about 24 inches long. Add flour to your countertop only if the dough is very sticky. If the dough resists rolling and stretching, let it rest longer.
• Hold the ends of your long dough tube and lay the middle of the dough in an inverted U-shape on your baking sheet. Twist the ends twice, then flip the ends and the twists back toward the U, and press the ends into the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock positions on the U.
• Repeat with the other 9 tubes.
• Final Proof and Baking Soda Water Prep
• Cover the baking trays with a damp flour sack towel or tea towel, or place the sheets inside large plastic bags. Let the dough proof 1 to 2 hours, until it grows by about 50%.
• Toward the end of the final proof, uncover the pretzel dough to help the pretzels develop a skin while you do the following steps.
• Boil 2-3 quarts of water in a 4-quart or larger stainless steel pot. Avoid aluminum, copper, and nonstick surfaces that may react with the extra-alkaline baking soda.
• Add the baked baking soda and stir until it dissolves. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Preheat your oven to 475°F (or 450°F if you have convection).
• Pretzel Dipping
• Use a large slotted spoon or spatula to gently lower the pretzels in the baking soda solution. Simmer two at a time for 20 seconds, flipping at the halfway mark.
• Remove the pretzels from the liquid, letting the liquid drain off a bit, and then return the pretzels to the baking sheets.
• Leave about an inch in between each pretzel. Repeat until all the pretzels have been boiled.
• Topping and Baking
• If you want a glossy finish, brush the tops of the pretzels with an egg wash before baking.
• Use a lame to score the bottom of the U, and top the pretzels with salt.
• Bake for 8 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time if needed. Expect to need the longer end of this time range for a no-convection bake.
• Transfer the pretzels to a rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
• Wrap each pretzel in plastic wrap for storage.