Homemade Soft Pretzels

Judging by the yummy pretzel places in the malls now I thought that soft pretzels were kind of a new thing, until I found out there is a recipe in the Old Mennonite Treasury. Under Mennonite Dishes, page 11, Mrs Neustaedter posted a recipe called Kringel. reading her instructions, sounds like she may be making bagels, but the recipe also sounds a lot like the soft pretzel recipes I looked up on line. I divided her recipe in half and mixed it up in my kitchen machine with a dough attachment. A kitchen aid would be good. The other thing I changed, the second time I made them, was to add baking soda to the boiling water process. I'm not sure if it made a big difference, but I thought I'd try it since I did not have alum (which her recipe calls for) and I noticed that to be a natural ingredient in other  similar recipes. The ones pictured on the right have a sprinkling of coarse sugar and cinnamon.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp instant yeast
• water, sugar and soda for boiling
• sesame seeds and/or coarse sugar and cinnamon for topping. If using coarse salt, go easy. 

Method:

1. Melt butter and add milk to heat. Add water to make combined liquids warm, not hot.
2. In mixing bowl, beat eggs and slowly add warm liquids. 
3. Add salt, sugar, some of the flour combined with yeast and then the rest of the flour.
4. Knead about 5 minutes until smooth.
5. Cover and let rise about 45 - 50 minutes.
6. Divide in half and then each half into ten segments. 
7. Roll segments into 15 inch ropes. Doing the rolling works best on non floured surface. I dampened my mat by wiping it with a wet cloth.
8. Take each rope and shape it into a fancy figure six.
9. Take the top down to cross, then twist crossed segments. 
10. Put on parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 15 minutes.
11. During this time heat about 5 cups water with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup baking soda. Bring to boil.
12. With slotted spoon dip each pretzel into the boiling water, one or two at a time and boil 45- 60 seconds on each side. Return to baking sheet. Sprinkle with desired topping.
13. Bake in preheated 450 F oven for 5 - 10 minutes until golden. Enjoy warm.

PS Another great way is to bake them plain and drizzle them with a cinnamon icing glaze. (blend icing sugar, milk and cinnamon) Can be frozen plain, reheated and iced.

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