Snacks
International
InternationalSoft Pretzels
Chewy, golden soft pretzels three ways, from a quick bicarb-dipped batch to a properly lye-bathed, laminated-butter version with a beer cheese dip.
Vegetarian
Nut-free
Contains alcohol
Ultimate version
Laminated-butter Bavarian pretzels with a food-grade lye bath and a beer cheese dip.
Per serving£2.23
Total cost£8.90
Time1 hr 15 min
Ingredients for 4
- Dough
- 450 g type 550 bread flour
- 5 g fresh yeast
- 230 ml cold water
- 50 g cultured butter , softened
- 10 g barley malt syrup
- Bath
- 30 g food-grade lye , for a 4% bath, handle with gloves
- To finish
- 2 tbsp Maldon pretzel salt
- Beer cheese dip
- 150 g mature Cheddar , grated
- 100 ml amber ale
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 20 g butter
- 1 tbsp plain flour
Method
- Make a firm dough with the flour, fresh yeast, water, malt syrup and salt, working in the butter, then knead for 12 minutes.
- Prove for 45 minutes, then shape into tight pretzels and rest uncovered in the fridge overnight to develop skin and flavour.
- Wearing gloves and goggles, dissolve the lye in 1 litre of cold water and dip each chilled pretzel for 20 seconds, then place on lined trays.
- Snip the belly of each pretzel, sprinkle with Maldon salt and bake at 230C for 13-15 minutes until glossy and dark.
- For the dip, make a quick roux with butter and flour, whisk in the ale, then melt in the Cheddar and Dijon until smooth.
- Serve the warm pretzels torn apart with the beer cheese alongside.
Equipment
- stand mixer
- rubber gloves
- safety goggles
- baking trays
- small saucepan
The three ways, side by side
Budget
Simple bread dough dipped in a bicarb bath and baked with salt.
Better
Enriched milk-and-butter dough with a stronger baking-soda bath and egg glaze.
Ultimate
Laminated-butter Bavarian pretzels with a food-grade lye bath and a beer cheese dip.
