Soft German Pretzels – Laugenbrezel

About This Recipe

A proper Bavarian Brezel (pretzel) is one of the great baked goods of the world: a thick, chewy rope of yeasted dough twisted into the iconic knot shape, dipped briefly in a lye solution (or baking soda solution at home) which creates the distinctive mahogany-brown, shatteringly crispy crust, and scattered with coarse salt. The inside stays pillowy soft and springy — the contrast between the crust and the interior is what makes a Brezel so satisfying. The alkaline dip is the defining step: traditionally this is food-grade lye (sodium hydroxide), which gives the deepest colour and most pronounced crust. At home, a 4% baking soda solution (boiled baking soda) works excellently and is completely safe. The Maillard reaction between the alkaline surface and the dough's sugars produces the complex, slightly bitter, pretzel-specific flavour — there is no substitute. Bavarian pretzels are eaten at any time of day — for breakfast with butter and white radishes, as a midday snack with Obatzda (cheese spread) and a Mass of beer, or alongside a ploughman's lunch of cold meats and pickles. They are the unofficial emblem of Bavarian identity.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 500 gstrong white bread flour
• 7 ginstant yeast
• 10 gsalt
• 10 gsugar
• 30 gsoftened butter
• 300 mlwarm water
• 100 gbicarbonate of soda(for the bath)
• 1.5 Lwater(for the bath)
• coarse sea salt or pretzel salt(for topping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, yeast, salt, sugar and butter. Add warm water gradually; knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly stiff. Cover and prove 1 hour until doubled.

2. 2

   Shape the pretzels

   Divide into 8 pieces. Roll each into a 60cm rope, thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. Form into a U, cross the ends twice, fold down onto the curve and press to seal.

   Work on an unfloured surface — the slight stickiness helps the dough grip and roll evenly.

3. 3

   Chill

   Place shaped pretzels on baking paper on trays. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes — this helps them hold their shape during dipping.

4. 4

   Prepare the baking soda bath

   Bring 1.5L water to a boil in a large pan. Carefully whisk in bicarbonate of soda (it will foam). Reduce to a gentle simmer.

5. 5

   Dip and bake

   Preheat oven to 220°C. Dip each pretzel in the soda solution for 30 seconds per side. Place on lined trays, slash the thick part once with a sharp knife. Scatter with coarse salt. Bake 14–16 minutes until deep mahogany brown.

Variations

• •

  Pretzel rolls: shape into dinner rolls for a cheeseburger bun

• •

  Cinnamon sugar pretzels: skip the salt, brush with butter and coat in cinnamon sugar after baking

• •

  Cheese-stuffed pretzels: wrap dough around a log of cheese

Storage

Best eaten the day of baking. Freeze unglazed, shaped pretzels and dip/bake from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions