Pretzels are best known for their knotted shape which is easier to achieve than you think! Perfect pretzels have a chewy crust and soft fluffy interior which is down to poaching before baking.
Ingredients
30g Unsalted Butter
2.15kg Water
150g Milk
7g Dried Yeast
500g Cake Flour
1 ½ teaspoons Salt
50g Baking Soda
2 tablespoons Sea Salt
Tools
Oven
Parchment paper
Kenwood Chef
Baking sheet - 18 x 13"
Large saucepan
Kenwood bowl - kenwood chef
Method
Line a clean baking sheet with parchment paper
Attach Spiral Dough Tool
Add water, milk and dried yeast to the Kenwood Bowl
Let rest - 5 min
Add cake flour, unsalted butter and salt to the Kenwood Bowl
Mix - 2 min, Speed 1
Mix - 8 min, Speed 2
Cover with kitchen towel
Prove - 1 hr 30 min
Carefully transfer the dough from the Kenwood mixer bowl to a lightly floured work surface
Flatten the dough carefully with your wrist
Take the far edge and roll it back towards you
Gently roll the dough to make the dough longer, being careful to apply even and gentle pressure
Divide into 12 equal pieces
Make each piece into a rough ball shape
Cover with kitchen towel
Let rest with kitchen towel - 10 min
Take one piece of dough, flatten it with your wrist
Take the far edge and roll it back towards you
Gently roll the dough to make the dough longer, keep even pressure across and continue to roll out into a long rope shape
Put the rope into a ‘U’ shape
Cross the open ends over each other to form a twist
Bring the twisted end down over the bottom of the U and press to seal to make a pretzel shape
Repeat this action with the rest of the dough pieces
Place the dough onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper
Cover with kitchen towel
Prove - 30 min
Pre-heat oven - 200°C
Add water and baking soda to a clean large saucepan
Heat until boiling - medium heat
Using a slotted spoon immerse the pretzels, in batches, into the water for 10 seconds
Flip over to the other side for 10 seconds, remove and drain
Place back onto the baking tray and spray the dough with water
Sprinkle with sea salt
Repeat until all pretzels have been poached and salted