BAVARIAN STYLE PRETZEL RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/8-cup warm water. Stir in remaining warm water, salt, and flour. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Dough does not need to rise.
• In a saucepan, measure 2 tablespoons baking soda to each cup of water. Put enough water to fill the saucepan at least 3 inches high. Bring soda and water mixture to a light boil and simmer. Make sure the baking soda is well dissolved.
• Cut the dough into eight pieces. Roll a long thick pencil shape with your hands but keep the middle a little thicker. Pick up both ends, cross to form rabbit ears and then twist the ends and pull them back to the rest of the loop. Place aside on lightly floured surface and let rise about 10 minutes.
• Place pretzels one at a time into the liquid baking soda mixture for 10-15 seconds. Using a large slotted plastic spatula, push each pretzel into the water to ensure it is fully covered. Remove the pretzel from the liquid mixture and place onto a baking pan, lined with parchment paper.
• Use a sharp knife and slit the thickest part of the pretzel lengthwise. Salt the top of pretzels with course ground sea salt as desired. Place the pan with the pretzels into the oven for 18-19 minutes or until pretzels are to desired darkness.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl (or bowl of a mixer), stir together syrup, lard or butter, yeast, 2 cups warm water and half the flour. Add kosher salt and remaining flour and stir just until mixture comes together in a shaggy mass.
• Turn out onto counter (or attach dough hook to mixer) and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and supple. Cut into 12 pieces and let rest 5 minutes.
• Roll out each piece into a rope about 22 inches long. (For traditional shape, the ends should be thin and the center fat.) Lift both ends, twist them around each other once, then bring ends back and press them on either side of fat “belly,” at about 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock. Then gently spread out “shoulders” of pretzel. Transfer shaped pretzels to an ungreased baking sheet. (Alternatively, form each piece into a round or oval to make laugenbrötchen, rolls.)
• Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a deep bowl, wearing rubber or latex gloves, make a solution of 1/2 cup lye and 10 cups water (or 1 part lye to 20 parts water); pour lye carefully into water to avoid splashing. Dip each pretzel in solution, turning it over for 10 to 15 seconds, and place back on baking sheet.
• Sprinkle pretzels with salt. Bake about 15 minutes or until deep brown. Remove to a rack and serve warm.