Pretzels are a delicious snack that many people love, especially when dipped in mustard and other condiments. One thing that sets pretzels apart from other snacks is their special shape. Wrapping a pretzel into this special shape is easier than you think – just watch step 1 below to get started.
Step
Part 1 of 4: The U. Shape Method
Step 1. Roll the dough by hand into long, thick strands
Place the pretzel dough on a floured surface and use your palms to roll it back and forth on the counter. Push the dough outward until you get the length you want.
- Pretzel dough tends to shrink back after rolling, so a good technique is to roll it separately, then let it rest for a few minutes before rolling it back up.
- The ideal length is between 45 cm and 50 cm -- at this length, you will make good, large pretzels.
Step 2. Shape the dough into a U shape and wrap the ends
On a floured surface, shape the dough into a long U shape.
When you're done, lift both ends of the dough and wrap the ends twice (as shown in the picture)
Step 3. Tie the wrapped part to the bottom of the U shape
Take the wrapped part of the pretzel and fold it so that the ends are under the U shape.
- Imagine that the pretzel is a clock and tie the ends at the point where there are the numbers 5 and 7, clamping them firmly against the dough.
- If you have trouble gluing the edges of the dough, use a little water or milk to press down the dough. Now you have a simple and neat fold of pretzels ready to bake!
Part 2 of 4: The Lasso. Method
Step 1. Roll out the dough
Use your palms to roll the dough into long, thick strands about 45 cm long and about the thickness of a cigarette.
Step 2. Take one end of the dough in each hand
Lift the pretzels off the counter, holding the ends about 30 cm apart from each other. Your left hand should be slightly higher than your right.
Step 3. Use a lasso motion to wrap the dough
Use your right hand to gently flick the dough in a lasso motion, so the dough will wrap around itself.
You can only let the dough roll by itself twice -- you can stop the dough from twisting by placing the dough back on the counter
Step 4. Tie the end of the dough to the curved part of the pretzel
At this point, you should still hold one end of the pretzel dough in each hand.
Fold back the wrapped part of the pretzel and tie the ends around the curved part of the pretzel, at the point where there are the numbers 5 and 7 on the clock
Part 3 of 4: Play Method
Step 1. Roll out the dough
Take a small piece of pretzel dough and use your palm to roll it into a strand about 45 cm long.
Step 2. Fold and wrap the dough
Fold the length of the dough so that it is in half, then wrap the two halves around each other before pressing the ends together.
Step 3. Fold the wrapped dough back in half
Then pass the ends that have been joined through the knot at the top. Press the dough to strengthen the loop.
Step 4. Repeat the movement with the remaining dough
When you're done, you'll have between 8 and 12 turns of pretzel. This will result in a pretzel cut that is thicker and more chewy than the regular pretzel shape.
Part 4 of 4: Making Soft and Perfect Pretzels
Step 1. Gather materials
To make soft and perfect pretzels at home, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 pack of dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups (or 600 g) all-purpose flour
- 56 gr unsalted butter, melted
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk
- Coarse salt, for sprinkling
Step 2. Combine the water, sugar, kosher salt and yeast
In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar and kosher salt. Sprinkle on a packet of dry yeast and let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is frothy.
Step 3. Add flour and butter
Add the flour and melted butter to the yeast mixture and beat until well combined. Keep beating until a soft dough forms, moving away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 4. Let the dough rise
Remove the dough from the bowl and grease the bowl with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let the dough rest in a warm place until it's doubled in size -- this process will take about 50 to 55 minutes.
Step 5. Boil the baking soda and water
Mix baking soda with 10 cups of water in a saucepan and let it boil. Use this time to prepare two pans -- line the pan with parchment paper and apply a little vegetable oil.
Step 6. Wrap the pretzels
Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and use one of the methods described above on how to wind a pretzel into a shape.
Step 7. Dip the pretzels in boiling water
One at a time, dip the pretzels in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove it from the water and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Step 8. Brush the pretzels with egg yolk
Mix a large egg yolk with a tablespoon of water, then lightly apply a small amount of the yolk mixture to the surface of each pretzel -- this will make the pretzels dark brown when baked. Sprinkle a little coarse salt on each pretzel.
Step 9. Bake the pretzels Bake the pretzels in the preheated oven at 450 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes, until the pretzels are golden brown
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly before eating.
