Sweet Pretzels

I have a pile of dishes in the sink due to a foray into the world of making pecan sandies, so I am going to keep this short.  This recipe is one of my favorite things to make on the weekend for breakfast or a mid-morning snack.  It's nice to spend a few quiet moments in the kitchen, gently kneading the dough and then setting it aside to rise.  Once the dough is ready, there is the fun of shaping the pretzels, and then the immense pleasure of eating them.  I pretty much only make these when Scott and I will be able to share them with others because we can't resist eating just one more.  Adding this recipe to your brunch routine will certainly make your life sweeter. 

 

Notes:
These pretzels are more of a breakfast roll, as opposed to the normal soft pretzels you'd encounter at the ballpark or mall.  I use a silcone rolling mat from King Arthur Flour to roll my dough out on.  When I lightly flour the surface, I use a small mesh strainer to evenly distribute the flour.  A mesh tea strainer also works well for sifting flour over your work surface.  When you roll the dough pieces out, if the dough starts to look ragged, dust the work surface with some more flour, and this should allow you to roll the dough out smoothly.  You’ll end up with extra cinnamon sugar mixture, so I store the excess in a small (clean) jelly jar and use it on my next batch or sprinkle it on oatmeal or buttered toast.  I always check the pretzels at 10 minutes to see how brown they are.  If you’re bringing these somewhere while they are still warm, lightly wrap them in a lint-free dishtowel (preferably a pretty one!) to bring them to your destination.  These taste best the day they are made.

Adapted from The World Of Jewish Desserts: More Than 400 Delectable Recipes from Jewish Communities

Roll Ingredients:
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
1¼ cups warm water (105-110ºF), divided use
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping Ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Yields 16 pretzels

Proof, Mix, Shape, Rest:
In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup of the warm water, the yeast, and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, and allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes or so until the mixture is bubbly.  In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, the remaining 1 cup of warm water the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Add the "proofed" yeast mixture to the large bowl, and stir until combined.  Stir in two cups of the flour, and then gradually add the remaining flour until the dough holds together.  You should be able to easily pick it up with your hands without excessive sticking.  If the dough is still too sticky, add some additional flour.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently kneed it for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth.  Shape the dough into a smooth ball by first picking it up and patting it into a square.  Gently stretch each corner of the dough, and tuck it underneath the bottom of the dough ball, rotating the ball as you go along.  This will give you a dough ball that is nice, round, and smooth.  Set the dough ball on a cutting board or plate, and cover it lightly with a dish towel that won't leave fuzzies behind.  Allow the dough to rest undisturbed for an hour and a half, or until it has approximately doubled in size.

Punch, Rest, Cut, Roll, Shape, Mix, Baste, Sprinkle, Bake:
A little over an hour into the rising, adjust the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 400°F.  Line two cookie sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper and set aside.  After the rising is complete, punch down the dough and then fold and press it together several times.  Place the towel back over it and allow it to rest for an additional 10 minutes.  After the 10 minutes is complete, use a serrated knife to equally divide the dough into 4 pieces.  Then, equally divide each  piece into 4 pieces so that you have 16 small dough balls.  Lightly flour your countertop (or a rolling mat, if you have one).  Take one of the dough balls and use your hands to roll it out into a rope that is 14-16 inches long.  Pick up the ends of the rope and twist it into a pretzel shape. (You could also turn it into a ring, or a twisted rope, if that is your preference.)  Place the pretzel on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining dough balls.  Each tray will have 8 pretzels on it. 

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon, and stir until the mixture is homogeneous.  Use a pastry brush to spread some melted butter over each pretzel.  Wipe up any butter drips on the cookie sheet with a damp paper towel.  Generously sprinkle each butter-glazed pretzel with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Place the trays in the oven and bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, or until the pretzels are lightly browned.  Immediately transfer the pretzels to a wire rack to cool slightly.  Enjoy!

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