It’s 9:30PM at night and Mr. B say’s, “Let’s make pretzels”… translation… Can you make pretzels? Cravings like a pregnant lady this man has. Nonetheless, it’s fun and a lot of really fun and crazy recipes come from his cravings. So tonight, pretzels it is…
I came across this recipe awhile back when flipping through a magazine subscription that my grandma got me last Christmas, Country Living. I clipped it out and thought it would be perfect for someday down the road. I don’t know about you, but I clip and favorite so many recipes with high hopes to try someday, but often someday doesn’t come for years. So when I do finally dust off the clipped or favorited recipe I am ecstatic that I finally reached someday!
The pretzel recipe might look like it’s intimidating but really it’s not. The only real tedious part, well if you can even call it tedious, is waiting for the dough to rise. I always do a happy dance when my dough rises as it should for recipes. There is nothing worst than waiting an hour or two on dough only to find out that something went terribly wrong with the yeast. I know all of you bakers out there can relate with that statement.
These aren’t Annie Ann pretzels but they certainly do suffice the Mister’s cravings. 24 pretzels for two people…can I interest anyone in a late night pretzel?
Pretzels with Brown-Sugar Rosemary Dijon
Recipe by: Country Living
Ingredients
(Pretzels)
3 Tablespoon(s) honey
1 1/2 Package(s) (about 3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
5 1/4 Cup(s) all-purpose flour, plus at least another 1/2 cup for kneading
3/4 Cup(s) whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon(s) fine salt, plus a pinch for egg whites
6 Tablespoon(s) olive oil, plus more for coating bowl
6 Tablespoon(s) baking soda
2 Large egg whites
3 1/2 Tablespoon(s) coarse sea salt
(Mustard)
4 Tablespoon(s) light-brown sugar
2 Tablespoon(s) finely chopped rosemary
2 2/3 cup(s) Dijon mustard
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon honey, yeast, and 2 1/4 cups warm water (100 degrees F), and stir until yeast dissolves; let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flours and fine salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the oil, yeast mixture, and remaining honey until a shaggy dough forms. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour on your work surface; then transfer dough to surface and knead, adding up to 1/2 cup more flour as needed, until dough becomes supple and elastic.
Coat a large, clean bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, and cover with a towel. Let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
Line 2 baking pans with parchment and set aside. Punch dough down and knead for 5 minutes. Divide dough into twenty-four 1 1/2-ounce pieces (each slightly larger than a golf ball) and keep covered. Working with one piece at a time, roll dough into a 14-inch-long rope. Bring both ends together and twist twice near the top. Fold ends down so they sit atop the bottom loop of dough; press ends into loop to form a pretzel. Transfer to a prepared pan and repeat with remaining dough. Let pretzels rest for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring 6 cups water and baking soda to a rapid simmer. Working in batches, poach pretzels for about 15 seconds on each side. Return to prepared pans. Lightly beat egg whites with a pinch of fine salt. Then lightly brush pretzels with the egg-white mixture and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake until pretzels are deep brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the mustard: Stir light-brown sugar and finely chopped rosemary into Dijon mustard.
(The dipping mustard is key!)
