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A Sensational Snack in a Snap!

Soft pretzels make such terrific snacks and are perfect for kids and adults alike. With its distinct shape, salty crust and gorgeous texture, these are the perfect snack for anytime of the year. These soft pretzels taste great on their own or dipped into a sauce of your choice for an added flavour experience. They are great because you can eat some and save the remaining for later on, and all you have to do is heat them up a bit to get back their soft and chewy texture. This recipe makes it easy to make great soft pretzels at home without any experience necessary, simply follow the steps and you will be a pretzel pro in no time!

The Perfect Soft Pretzel

Ingredients:

Pretzel Dough
3 1/2 C (1/2 kg) of flour
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. (12 g) salt (sea salt preferably)
1 Tbsp. (12 g) yeast, dissolved in 1 C (237 g) water that's fairly warm but not hot (120F, 49C)

Pretzel Coating
1 Tbsp. (14 g) baking soda dissolved in 1 C (237 g) boiling water
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl
(Optional) Vegetable Oil see tips...
This recipe yields 6 large or 12 small pretzels.

Making the Dough
Mix the brown sugar, salt, and the yeast and water mixture in a food processor or a large mixing bowl. Add flour to the mixture and mix until the dough is smooth in consistency. Add more flour if the dough is sticky. Let the dough sit in the fridge overnight in a plastic container that must be large enough for the rising dough(it will rise as much as a third overnight).

Shaping the Pretzels
Once the dough has sat overnight, divide it into 4, 6 or 12 pieces and roll each piece into a rope. If you are making 4, then you can make the ropes about the thickness of a cigar, however, if you are making 12 the rope should be just a bit thicker than a pencil. Shape one rope into an upside down "U" on the table. Bring the ends together and twist them in the middle of the "U" and then bring the two ends up to each side of the pretzel and press into the dough to stick. It should not have the signature pretzel shape. Place these pretzels on a cookie sheet and then continue the process with the remaining dough.

Making them Tasty
Allow the pretzels to sit on the cookie sheets for 30 minutes in which time they should raise to about double their previous size. Using a basting or pastry brush, brush the pretzels with the baking soda solution and let dry. Then brush the pretzels with the egg and water mixture which will give them a gorgeous shiny glaze and a base for your choice of the following toppings; coarse salt, garlic and parmesan cheese, cinnamon and sugar, sesame seeds.

Baking the Pretzels
Bake the pretzels in a pre-heated oven 400 to 450F for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned. Remove the pretzels from the oven and carefully place them on a sheet of aluminum foil and allow them to cool.

These pretzels are easy to make and are the perfect snack to dip in mustard or a dipping sauce of your choice. Bake these for when you have guests coming over, or for kids who always flip for these tasty treats. Keep this recipe for a rainy day or for whenever you want to make a sensational snack in a snap!

Learn more about this author, Daniella Di Nenno.
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