German pretzel: step-by-step recipe, preparation method and types

“Mom, I should have always listened to you. When eating pretzels, always chew before swallowing."

Who owns these words? Such a question, of course, will not confuse real experts and scholars. Correct answer: "George Bush, 43rd President of the United States." It was pretzels, the most popular product of German cuisine, that almost at the very beginning of his presidential term George W. Bush almost choked on, devouring these delicious pretzels while watching a football match on TV. And even so, I lost consciousness for a few seconds. Fortunately for the president and US citizens, everything ended well then.

Pretzel is one of the most popular delicacies in Germany.

But this fact does not in any way detract from the popularity of pretzel. Quite the contrary.

Although, to be honest, on my first visit to Germany ten years ago, I never tried this culinary attraction - there was simply a moment when white wheat flour was strictly contraindicated for me. And then I held on steadfastly and with all my might. But she made it up to the fullest in subsequent voyages! And now I know how to distinguish a Bavarian pretzel from a Swabian one, what they eat both with, and many more interesting details about this wonderful pretzel.

How, with what and when to eat pretzel

Salty pretzel is a traditional German snack for beer and sausages. Wiesnbretzel is an indispensable attribute of Oktoberfest, the main beer festival in Germany and the largest celebration in the world, which has been held annually for many years on Terezin Meadow in the center of Munich. Every year, festival guests eat about a million of them - festival pretzels weighing 300 g.

Just think about it: at the festival, guests eat about a million famous cheesecakes.

And there are even separate events that are dedicated specifically to him - the famous pretzel. Residents of the city of Bottrop, for example, specially gather once every three years for the Bretzel holiday. Every year, for five days in the first half of July, the Speyer Pretzel Carnival takes place.

Pretzel is popular not only in Bavaria and the south, but also in northern Germany. Since the Middle Ages, Lübeck has hosted the Kringelhöge , a unique and original “pretzel” carnival.

But you don't have to wait until Carnival to try this pretzel. Every morning when visiting friends, on my subsequent visits to Germany, I started with Butterbrezel - a pretzel with butter, washed down with green tea without sugar. This breakfast in some German regions is like a croissant for morning coffee in France.

What could be better than hot tea and salty pretzel for breakfast?

Pretzel is also good as a snack with various sauces and meat broths. Many people drink it with milk. This product is popular in Austria and Luxembourg.

History of origin

There are interesting legends about the creation of pretzel. The most beautiful one tells that this pretzel was invented by a talented baker who had seriously offended the Bavarian king. The ruler told him to invent bread through which he could look at the sun three times.

They tell another interesting story about this pretzel. Allegedly, the monks invented the pretzel as a sign of gratitude to the Creator. The pretzel shape resembles hands crossed in prayer. Also, the appearance of this bread product is associated with the church’s ban on “pagan bread”, which resembles the sun in its shape.

The history of pretzel is closely connected with the history of Germany itself.

This pretzel has been the calling card of German bakeries since the 14th century. At that time, the bread product was considered an elite baked product; the right to make it had to be earned.

In 1919, the Ditsch bakery appeared, which bakes the best pretzels to this day.

Many holidays in Germany are associated with this pretzel. At the famous Oktoberfest in Bavaria, it is always served with a foamy drink. In July, a carnival procession along the Rhine is organized in honor of this bread. And in the city of Mainz, the queen of pretzels is elected every year.

A little history and distinctive features of pretzel

So what is the famous creation of German bakers, which has long become their emblem? The “symbolic” pretzel is found everywhere on the signs of bakeries and bakeries, primarily in the south of the country - both in big cities and small villages.

Pretzel (in German Brezel) is an original pretzel made from yeast dough, sprinkled with salt. In the simplest (basic) version, these are symmetrically interconnected dough strands, forming three holes.

A classic Brezel should have three holes.

The names of the famous pretzel in various dialects appeared in the Middle Ages and come from “brachium” - “hand” in Latin. Indeed, its intertwined ends are so reminiscent of arms clasping each other!

But you still need to learn how to “twist the handles” correctly and professionally, although in practice this process only takes a few seconds. It is not for nothing that in the Middle Ages not all master bakers could make and bake this pretzel, but only those who received special permission. Of course, in our time, at large bakery factories, special smart machines are “trained” in this matter, which know how to tie perfect pretzels.

Nowadays, specially trained machines roll the pretzels; manual work can only be found in small home breweries.

Another distinctive feature of the product is that after molding it is not immediately sent to the oven , but is kept for some time in a boiling soda solution. Once baked, this gives the crust its signature golden brown color and the ends of the “handles” become crispy. Because of this operation, the salted pretzel is often called Laugenbrezel (German Laugen - alkali).

In German-language sources, it was found that for these purposes, some manufacturers use the food additive E-524 - a 3% solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH, at a pH level of 13-14). To put it simply, what we know as caustic soda. I wish I didn't know this. But, nevertheless, it is the hydrolysis (decomposition of protein in the dough) of caustic soda during a thermal reaction that gives the characteristic dark brown tint to the crust. And it gives it a specific, recognizable taste. Manufacturers assure the safety of such processing. You just have to believe and hope that the masters know their business and keep their brand.

At home, regular baking soda is used.

At home, all housewives use sodium carbonate - ordinary baking soda. But don’t be surprised - the boiling solution into which you will dip your own rolled pretzels is also a food additive. It is marked as E-500.

Like many culinary masterpieces that, according to legend, were created by chance, this one also has its own list of “fairy tales” that explain its origin. Depending on the geography, they differ in names and details.

Pretzels (German pretzels)

The main secret to making these little pretzels is that before baking they are traditionally dipped in a soda solution to start the breakdown of the protein in the dough.
This process lasts only a few seconds and provides a special crispy crust to the product, a typical brown color and adds interest to the taste. You may also be interested in our other recipes:

Make the dough

Place the flour, salt, brown sugar, yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Knead the dough by hand or using a food processor until smooth and soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the dough on a floured surface and cover. Leave for 30 minutes.

Prepare the oven and baking tray

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or greased.

Divide the dough

Divide the dough into eight equal parts. Leave for another 5 minutes.

Twist the pretzels

Using the palms of your hands, roll each piece of dough into a thin rope, approximately 60-80 cm long. Twist each rope into a pretzel by lifting the ends, crossing them to make a turn, and then folding them back onto the bottom loop (as shown in the photo). Gently press the ends to secure.

Dip pretzels in baking soda solution

Bring 6 to 8 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat and add baking soda, stirring until dissolved. Reduce heat. Working quickly and carefully, dip each pretzel into the hot water and soak for 30 seconds on each side, turning with a spoon. They will increase slightly in volume.

Sprinkle with salt and bake

Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Lubricate with oil

Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. These pretzels are best when they are warm.

Source

So who baked the first pretzel and when?

Of course, authorship is now impossible to establish. According to some sources, the pretzel appeared as an alternative to round bread (due to the Catholic Synod’s ban on its pagan form - after all, a round flatbread resembles the sun). Some legends speak of a guilty baker, whom the Bavarian king promised not to execute, but to pardon. But only if he comes up with a new bread through which you can look at the sun three times.

The sunniest bread!

There are also legends explaining why the formed raw blanks are first dipped into an alkali solution. In one version, an absent-minded baker or his young assistant, instead of dipping in sweet syrup, inadvertently dropped the pretzel into a trough of lye diluted in it (prepared for washing kitchen utensils); in the other, the cat is to blame; it was she who pushed the pretzels prepared for baking into the same trough.

Traditions and symbols

Pretzels were initially available only to the nobility; common people were forbidden to bake or eat them. But gradually, easy-to-make baked goods spread throughout Germany, as well as in neighboring countries. Pretzel, the recipe for which does not require expensive ingredients or complex baking technologies, has become one of the holiday delicacies in Europe.

Traditionally, pretzels are given to each other by lovers. After all, the shape of a pretzel resembles two crossed rings. Or maybe someone will see a loving heart in him? They are served at weddings. The woven pretzel symbolizes the strength of family ties.

Pretzels are a must-have treat for Easter and New Year's dinners.

Christians believe that the three “holes” in the pretzel symbolize the Holy Trinity. The pretzel brings prosperity, good luck and spiritual integrity.

What types of pretzels are there?

The appearance and different recipes depend on the traditions and customs in each region of the country. The sizes also vary - from the smallest, a few centimeters, to large meter-long holiday products. In bakeries and pastry shops in Germany and other German-speaking countries, you can find pretzels in the shape of people, animals and a variety of objects.

A traditional pretzel has two parts:

1. Ärmchen (hands) are the thin ends of the bread rope.
2. Bauh (belly) or "body".

Despite the large assortment of products, two main forms can be distinguished among them. And they differ precisely by region: in Bavaria, the pretzel is always almost round, and the thickness of its “body” and “arms” varies insignificantly. Shvabsky’s “belly” is thick, and there is an obligatory incision on it, and the “handles” are very thin.

Shelf life depends on the products used in its manufacture. Some types of pretzels can be stored for a long time, while others are best eaten fresh, immediately after cooking.

There are many variations!

In addition to the traditional and most common type - salty, there are also sweet (usually festive) varieties:

• Palmbrezel is a “willow” pretzel that is baked in Swabia. It is based on sweet yeast dough.
• Martinsbrezel is a festive pretzel baked with sweet dough and decorated with colorful ground sugar.
• Nussbrezel is a delicious pretzel made from puff pastry with nuts.
• Olgabrezeln is a festive product baked in honor of the Queen of Württemberg.
• Puddingbrezel - both halves are filled with vanilla pudding, a favorite delicacy of the people living along the Rhine.

Puddingbrezel is an incredibly tasty delicate delicacy from the inhabitants of the Rhine.

Classic pretzel recipe

The traditional pretzel recipe is very simple: flour, yeast, water and malt. As you can see, there is a religious context here too - foods are not prohibited for consumption during fasting. Immediately before baking, the product must be dipped in a soda solution. To prepare such a solution you will need 1 liter of water and 1 tablespoon of soda. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and cook each pretzel in it for 30 seconds.

For 250 g of flour you will need 125 ml of water, 1 tsp. dry yeast and a little malt. In addition, the baked goods must be well salted.

Mix all the ingredients into a dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours. The pretzel is also sprinkled with coarse salt on top.

Recipes - how to bake pretzel at home

The classic recipe is laconic and does not abound in ingredients; it only contains flour, water, malt, yeast and salt. We also already have an idea about the technology - basically this sequence is preserved in the manufacture of any variety. Although some recipes for making sweet pretzel do not mention treating the dough in a soda solution before baking. For example, it is not in the recipe for Ntujahrsbrezeln , which are baked for the New Year in Swabia and Baden. And tiny Christmas pretzels are made from shortcrust pastry.

At Christmas markets you can buy shortcrust pastry treats.

Despite the fact that pretzel was once considered a Lenten religious dish, modern recipes for its preparation include milk instead of water, butter, and lard. Various flavoring additives are also often used. Any housewife, even an inexperienced one, can prepare a German pretzel on her own; there are plenty of recipes, both in cookbooks and online.

I liked this one the most, which I have already successfully tried.

Pretzels on beer

Here is another common and very popular Swabian recipe. Pretzel with salt is prepared as follows:

• Warm 220 grams of light beer on the stove, and then add two teaspoons of sugar to it.
• Combine 320 grams of white flour with 25 grams of dry yeast.
• Knead the dough from the prepared products, 30 grams of butter and two teaspoons of salt.
• Place the product in a warm place and leave it alone for 45 minutes.
• Once the dough has risen, divide it into eight pieces and form into classic German pretzels.
• Dip the workpieces into boiling water with salt diluted in it, and then transfer to an oiled silicone mat.

Sprinkle pretzels with coarse salt and bake until done.

“Quick” pretzel recipe for lazy housewives

Ingredients:

• 250 g wheat flour;
• 125 ml warm water;
• 50 g butter;
• 1 teaspoon dry yeast;
• 0.5 tsp baking powder (optional);
• 0.5 teaspoons of salt.

We dilute the yeast in water and stir with sugar. Sift the flour, add salt to it. Grind the butter and flour into crumbs. Add the diluted yeast and knead into a soft, elastic dough (about 10 minutes). Place it in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours. The dough should double in volume.

The dough should rise properly.

We form about 8-10 balls from this quantity and roll each one into a small flat cake. We first roll each flatbread into a thick short rope and then, in turn, with both hands, roll it into a long one with narrow thin ends. Then we connect both ends in the very middle (where the dough is thicker) and turn it 180 degrees in one motion. Place the workpiece on the table and press the ends of the rope to the pretzel. All. Now it's a pretzel! If, of course, it turned out to be “the crossed hands of a monk” or “the head on the crossed hands of the poor baker’s wife” - that’s what the legends say. And if it doesn’t look very similar, don’t worry either, it will still be delicious!

Next, soak each dough piece for 30-40 seconds in a boiling solution of baking soda (2 teaspoons per 1 liter), after floating, carefully remove, dry, sprinkle with salt (sesame, cumin) and transfer to a baking sheet covered with parchment, greased with butter oil

Bake in an oven heated to 200-220⁰C for 20 minutes. You will remember everything better if you watch the cooking process in this video:

Puff or yeast?

Salty pretzels are made from yeast dough, sweet ones - preferably from puff pastry. German housewives prepare homemade pretzels according to their own recipes, using their little secrets.

There is an original dessert recipe for pretzel at home based on a mixture of puff pastry and yeast dough.

To prepare this pretzel you need:

• premium wheat flour - 350 grams;
• chicken egg - 1 piece;
• dry yeast - 7 or 10 grams;
• granulated sugar - 100 grams;
• butter (or margarine) - 300 grams;
• milk - 125 grams;
• salt - to taste;
• puff pastry (ready) - 400 grams.

First, the yeast dough is prepared. To do this, add granulated sugar, dry yeast, salt, warm (but not hot!) milk, egg and 50 grams of butter or margarine to the sifted flour. Mix everything well and knead the dough. Next, gradually add 250 grams of softened butter or margarine to the dough.

Roll the dough into a ball and put it in the refrigerator.

Thaw the puff pastry at room temperature.

Roll out the chilled yeast dough into a rectangular layer measuring 40 centimeters by 30 centimeters.

Place a layer of puff pastry measuring 20 centimeters by 30 centimeters on top of this layer. Wrap the remaining yeast dough onto the puff pastry. Roll out the resulting layer well to a size of 40 by 30 centimeters. Place the remaining puff pastry on top of the resulting sheet of dough. Press the dough well with your hands and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Next, roll out the dough well again into a thin sheet, cut into long strips, twist them and form pretzels. Brush the pretzels prepared for baking with a mixture of eggs and milk, sprinkle (optional) with coarse sugar, sesame seeds or nuts. Bake in the oven for 15 or twenty minutes at 180 degrees. The oven should be preheated.

Original sweet pretzels are ready for tea or coffee!

Bavarian pretzel

Real Bavarian pretzels are prepared on a dough that needs to sit for at least 6 hours. Its ingredients: 120 g flour, 5 g fresh yeast, 85 ml water and a pinch of salt.

For the test:

• 250 g flour;
• 10 g fresh yeast;
• 25 g butter;
• 50 ml milk + 50 ml water;
• egg for greasing;
• 1.5 tsp. Sahara;
• 1 tsp salt;
• salt, sesame or cumin for sprinkling before baking.

The peculiarity of this recipe is that before sending it to the oven, the dough is not “cooked”, as usual, in a soda solution (or cooked, but simply in boiling water). Instead, the shaped pretzels are brushed with egg and salt and left in the air for about an hour. And before baking, grease again. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds or coarse salt. You can bake them a little less - 12-15 minutes.

Bavarian pretzels should be sprinkled with sesame seeds and coarse salt.

Pretzels according to this recipe come out with the same golden brown crust, only a little lighter.

"Sparrows"

We have already mentioned that the famous German pastry can be given many forms. This time we suggest you make it look like little birds. How to cook Bavarian pretzel (pretzel)? You can read the recipe below:

• Place 600 grams of flour, two teaspoons of salt, seven grams of yeast and a little sugar in a large bowl.
• Gradually begin to pour warm milk into the products, not forgetting to knead the dough.
• Cover the finished product with a towel and place in a warm place for one hour.
• Once the dough has risen, divide it into 12 pieces, roll each into a log, and then tie each into a knot.
• Boil one liter of water, then put three tablespoons of soda in the pan. Dip the “birds” into the liquid for half a minute, and then place them on a baking sheet.

Make slits in the tails with a knife, sprinkle the buns with poppy seeds or grated cheese, and then bake them until done.

Where to try in Germany

For Germans, pretzel is the same as pizza for Italians or croissants for the French, so you can buy and taste this delicious pretzel almost everywhere. But if just going to a bakery or beer garden near your home doesn’t suit you today, then you can brighten up the evening with friends on the cozy terrace of one of the many Biergarten. There, beer and sausages will be served with pretzels for every taste. There are biergartens in Munich, and in Berlin, and everywhere in Germany.

Berlin

Prater Garten, Kastanienallee 7-9.

The terrace of the largest Berlin beer garden in the central part of the city can seat 600 guests and beer has been served here for more than a century and a half.

The Prater Garten can accommodate 600 people at the same time over a glass of beer.

Schleusenkrug, Müller-Breslau-Straße.

In the garden on the Landwehr Canal embankment you can admire the pleasure boats and slowly sip beer while snacking on a freshly baked pretzel.

Munich

Lowenbrau Keller

Restaurant and quiet biergarten with terrace, close to the historical center, with Bavarian cuisine and local beer. On the menu: pretzels, pork knuckle, pork leg, several types of sausages, potato salad.

Löwenbräu Keller serves incredibly tasty sausages and a variety of beers.

The order will cost 10-30 euros per person.

Address, phone number and website of the establishment:

• Nymphenburgerstrasse 2
• Am Stiglmaierplat
• +49 (0)89 — 547 26 69 0
• loewenbraeukeller.com

Where to buy in Moscow

In Moscow, salted pretzels can be found in bakeries, and even bought online, ordering them, for example, in. A pretzel weighing 60-65 g will cost 28 rubles. True, the minimum order is 1000 rubles, and delivery is 300 rubles. But if you live in the Yasenevo metro area, you can pick up your order yourself - from 8 to 22 hours. (Rokotova st., 1a)

In Russia, pretzels turn out almost no worse than in their homeland, Germany.

German pretzels are also baked by the Khleboteka LLC bakery, and you can buy them at Leningradsky Prospekt, 15.

Nutritional value of pretzel

Premium wheat flour, yeast, malt, water are the products that make up a German pretzel. The recipe allows you to bake a pretzel with many nutritional benefits. One hundred grams of classic pretzel contains:

• vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B6, B9), K, E, PP;
• macroelements zinc, selenium, iron, copper;
• trace elements sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus;
• saturated fatty acids - 4.5 grams;
• ash - 2.66 grams;
• cholesterol -17.7 milligrams;
• dietary fiber - 1.7 grams.

One hundred grams of pretzel contains:

• 300 kilocalories;
• fat - 6 grams;
• proteins - 20 grams;
• carbohydrates - 35 grams.

Reviews

Julia:

“I tried these German pretzels with both beer and sausages, but most of all I liked them with white wine (Riesling) and a side of cream cheese.”

A rosy cheesecake for all times!

Mary:

“On the eve of Oktoberfest, I tried and decided: I found caustic soda, and, without deviating one iota from my aunt’s recipe, I baked delicious pretzels! It’s indistinguishable from those I ate with relatives in Bochum. You just really need to take precautions. And so that children don’t hang around. The family liked it. The perfect snack for any snack! And it’s absolutely lovely with beer.”

Peter:

“Recently I have been inclined to be overweight, but that evening, sitting with friends on the terrace of Loretta am Wannsee, I could not resist, and without noticing it, I “sentenced” two portions of Wurst and Brezel. Both the sausage and the pretzel were excellent!”

Forget about diet! It’s simply impossible to refuse such deliciousness!

Mayan:

“This weekend I couldn’t resist baking them too. Appetizing with their sea tan, these “German bagels,” as my husband immediately called them, were our breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two days. Only the kettle had time to boil. And Maslenitsa was empty.”

If you've never tried a pretzel before, be sure to do it now. Try salty and sweet pretzels when traveling around Germany - they are so different. Or bake it yourself at home - it’s not that difficult, but it’s fun and interesting. Try it!

Lyudmila Bozhinskaya

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Crispy German Pretzel and Recipe | Baking from Anyuta Bublichkina

It turns out that in 2014, by decision of the European Commission, the Bavarian pretzel was recognized as unique and is an object of intellectual property, but I didn’t even know.

Now pretzel is on the same level as Parmesan, Nuremberg sausages, and Neapolitan pizza. But I don’t think this will stop us from reproducing the traditional bagel from Bavaria in full accordance with its recipe.

May supporters of copyright and other legislative acts forgive me.

Features of the recipe for preparing a German pretzel pretzel in the light of modern cooking

Arguing about the popularity of this pastry in Germany, as well as the Black Forest cake, is just a waste of time. Bavarian Bretzn is known to both beer lovers and sweet dessert lovers. This speaks to its versatility in its recipe, but today we are interested in the classic Laugenbretzel.

To be honest, my first German pretzel turned out lumpy. Perhaps at that moment either the hands were crooked, or the position of the stars was not favorable, but what happened was what happened. Initially, I cooked according to Russian-language recipes, then it dawned on me to try German sites. Let me tell you that there are differences, for example:

• We often have vegetable oil, while the Germans use butter, or even melted pork fat.
• We take ordinary baking soda, and in industrial production they use caustic soda, although they are limited to a 4% solution concentration.
• The amount of soda for lauge is also different: we add 1 tsp per liter of water. soda, they have 3 tbsp.
• A traditional German beer pretzel contains brown sugar or malt extract, but we only use regular sugar.

I won’t take the liberty of saying that domestic chefs make mistakes, but my pretzels with salt, according to Bavarian recommendations, turned out to be amazingly tasty.

Important point: Lauge (soda solution)

Before baking, the pieces are dipped in a hot alkaline solution. In this case, simple chemical reactions occur:

1. The alkali reacts with gluten, releasing amino acids.
2. When heat treated at about 120-130°C, melanoidins are formed.

The classic German pretzel and the recipe for making it at home is impossible without a water bath. It is melanoidins that are responsible for the aroma of baked bread, potatoes and vegetables so dear to our hearts. Don't worry that the lye will penetrate into the dough - it will remain on its surface.

Important! Bakers focus on the incompatibility of dough pieces soaked in lye and aluminum baking sheets or foil. The sodium hydroxide solution reacts with the aluminum and destroys the sheets.

Baking soda

We will not work with caustic soda, because it is dangerous: you need glasses and gloves. And without them, we may not try a pretzel with beer. However, even the Germans themselves prefer to use baking soda at home.

It does not work as effectively as lye, the baked goods will be a little paler and not as shiny, but quite close to the original. In addition, the process will take place without unnecessary risk, and to form an authentic pretzel texture, we will mix the pretzel with milk and partially with water.

Cooking salted pretzel from wheat flour in German: ingredients

Inventive bakers offer many options for its preparation. The picture is the same as with New Year's gingerbread cookies - there are a lot of options. The baked goods are sprinkled with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds; baked with cheese, sausage and other fillings. But, I repeat, we will work according to the classic recipe, and nothing else.

Ingredients

The number of components is designed for 10 full-weight products.

For the test

Malt extract and German salted pretzel, of course, will combine better than brown sugar - as if closer to the original. But, in a pinch, plain white sugar will do.

I saw on the forums that instead of dry yeast, you can use fresh yeast, increasing its quantity three times. I can’t say anything about this - I’ve just never tried it.

For Lauge

• Water – 1 l.
• Baking soda – 90 g.

For topping

• Coarse salt - amount to taste.

Delicious Bavarian pretzels and a recipe for making them yourself

History attributes the glory of reviving the bread symbol of Bavaria to the Munich baker Anton Pfannenbrenner, who in 1839 poured caustic soda into water rather than sugar. The baker's joint is now a classic, revered by beer lovers and casual foodies alike. We have no right to make mistakes - only genuine technology, only hardcore.

Preparing the dough

• Mix warm milk, water and sugar in a mixer bowl. Stir the mixture with a fork, then add dry yeast, mix again and leave for 5 minutes until foam forms.
• At this time, you need to melt the butter over low heat and let it cool for 3-4 minutes.
• Add flour, butter and salt to the bowl. Mix everything with a mixer fitted with a dough hook for five minutes. The dough will be tough.
• Be sure to cover the bowl with film and set aside for an hour and a half so that the dough rises. It will double in volume.

Forming a pretzel pretzel or how to make the perfect shape

• Punch down the finished dough and divide into 10 equal pieces.
• Roll out each bun, starting from the center to the edges. You should get a rope 40-45 cm long. Make the middle part (about 5-6 cm) with a diameter of 3-4 cm, and roll out the ends of the rope to 0.8-1 cm. For convenience, you can wet your hands with water.

• Before molding, let the pieces rest for 5 minutes.
• We gather the ends of the rope together so that the dough forms a circle. We twist the ends twice and place them, gently pressing them, on the lower curve of the ring.

• Transfer the preparations to a baking sheet covered with parchment. At the same time, cook and turn on the oven at 200°C.

Actually, most of the work is ready, the Bavarian pretzel and the recipe for its formation with a photo, as they say, are attached.

Important! Leave the products to rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes. There is no need to cover them, this will dry the surface of the dough, you will get the perfect texture and prevent the soda from being absorbed during the blanching process. Once our masterpieces have risen, place them near an open window or near a fan to dry the surface more effectively.

The final stage

• Bring a liter of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add baking soda, stir.
• Using a slotted spoon, lower the pieces one at a time into boiling water for 5-8 seconds, then place them on parchment sheets.

• Sprinkle our pretzels with salt and use a sharp knife to rip open the thick middle part on top to a depth of 0.4-0.5 mm.
• Place the baking sheet with the products in the oven, heated to 200°C. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until blush appears.
• Remove the finished product from the oven and let cool. If you want to make the surface of the baked goods shiny, apply a little melted butter and enjoy.

Important! If you decide to use NaOH solution, do not use aluminum cookware.

How to check that your pan is not aluminum - aluminum is not magnetic.

What should I eat it with?

For some reason, many people believe that a pretzel for beer in Germany is the first snack and the only area of ​​consumption. Of course, Oktoberfest is not complete without it, but such pastries can be bought at any bakery, and even at gas stations.

The Germans are not fools - they love to taste a pretzel by cutting it in half, brushing it with a thick layer of butter, and sprinkling it with chopped green onions. Be sure to try this combination!

Another option. The Weißwurstfrühstück breakfast, consisting of white sausages, pretzels and sweet mustard, is popular in Bavaria. It looks brutal, but the taste is unsurpassed!

Source: https://bublichkina.ru/recept-bavarskogo-krendelya/