Traveling and being crazy busy for such a long made me really want to bake something new and delicious to eat with soup, pretzel bread was the perfect something. These little loaves were easy to whip up, rise, and bake. The kids took a bite and said "this tastes like a pretzel" - yeah.. um... that's kind of the point.
Slices were amazing dipped in soup and slathered with butter. Certainly, a good side to warm cozy soup as the weather here is finally starting to feel more fall (even though I know this posts in winter and well it's prob REALLY cold where time is as posting).
Homemade Pretzel Bread
Pretzel Bread Dough
1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
4 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
2 Tablespoons whole milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Baking Soda Bath
4 quarts water
½ cup baking soda
Topping
1-2 Tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
Make the Dough
Combine water, and brown sugar and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let stand for 5 minutes (until foamy). (Or put it in a large bowl and mix by hand).
Once yeast is proofed, add melted butter and milk to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed with dough hook until just combined.
Add flour and salt and mix with dough hook until flour is fully incorporated.
Knead in a mixer until the dough forms a slightly tacky, but firm ball.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat Oven
Once dough is risen, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius).
Lightly oil or grease a large baking sheet, or line it with a silicone baking mat (do not use parchment paper).
Prepare a Water Bath
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, slowly add the baking soda a little bit at a time (Be careful not to add too much at once or the mixture will overflow).
Boil & Bake
Remove the dough from the bowl and gently press out the air bubbles.
Make two balls of dough the same size (note: The total weight of the dough comes out to be about 800 g, so each loaf should weigh about 400 g), forming them into the shape you want (Do not let it rise here).
Carefully place one of the balls into the boiling baking soda water. Boil for 45-60 seconds on each side, turning it once to guarantee both sides covered. Remove the dough from the baking soda bath with a slotted spoon, shake off the excess water from the dough and place it on an oiled baking sheet.
Immediately sprinkle coarse sea salt over the bread to your specific tastes, and use a knife to cut a small "X" on the top of the bread.
Repeat with second ball of dough. (Do not let it rise at all here. Straight from boiling into the oven).
Bake the bread for 22-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through. You know the bread is done when the outside is deep golden brown, the loaf sounds hollow when hit with a wooden spoon, or the internal temperature is 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once removed from the oven, immediately brush the melted butter over the loaves to guarantee a soft crust. Transfer to a wire rack to cool just enough to enjoy!
Slices were amazing dipped in soup and slathered with butter. Certainly, a good side to warm cozy soup as the weather here is finally starting to feel more fall (even though I know this posts in winter and well it's prob REALLY cold where time is as posting).
Homemade Pretzel Bread
Pretzel Bread Dough
1 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons yeast
4 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
2 Tablespoons whole milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Baking Soda Bath
4 quarts water
½ cup baking soda
Topping
1-2 Tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 Tablespoons salted butter (melted)
Make the Dough
Combine water, and brown sugar and yeast in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let stand for 5 minutes (until foamy). (Or put it in a large bowl and mix by hand).
Once yeast is proofed, add melted butter and milk to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed with dough hook until just combined.
Add flour and salt and mix with dough hook until flour is fully incorporated.
Knead in a mixer until the dough forms a slightly tacky, but firm ball.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, cover with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for one hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat Oven
Once dough is risen, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius).
Lightly oil or grease a large baking sheet, or line it with a silicone baking mat (do not use parchment paper).
Prepare a Water Bath
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, slowly add the baking soda a little bit at a time (Be careful not to add too much at once or the mixture will overflow).
Boil & Bake
Remove the dough from the bowl and gently press out the air bubbles.
Make two balls of dough the same size (note: The total weight of the dough comes out to be about 800 g, so each loaf should weigh about 400 g), forming them into the shape you want (Do not let it rise here).
Carefully place one of the balls into the boiling baking soda water. Boil for 45-60 seconds on each side, turning it once to guarantee both sides covered. Remove the dough from the baking soda bath with a slotted spoon, shake off the excess water from the dough and place it on an oiled baking sheet.
Immediately sprinkle coarse sea salt over the bread to your specific tastes, and use a knife to cut a small "X" on the top of the bread.
Repeat with second ball of dough. (Do not let it rise at all here. Straight from boiling into the oven).
Bake the bread for 22-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through. You know the bread is done when the outside is deep golden brown, the loaf sounds hollow when hit with a wooden spoon, or the internal temperature is 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once removed from the oven, immediately brush the melted butter over the loaves to guarantee a soft crust. Transfer to a wire rack to cool just enough to enjoy!
