Best Recipes: Pretzel buns (Laugenbroetchen) and Pretzels

Pretzel Buns and Pretzels

I love this recipe!!!... you can actually do 2 bread products from 1 recipe. Just the way I like it! I received this recipe from my sister-in-law who lived in Germany for quite some time and she in turn shared it with me. It is an awesome recipe that is quite similar to the bagel recipe. The rolls actually get boiled just like the bagels and then sliced on the top for a criss cross look which puffs up a bit to give it an unique look. I like to split the original recipe in two and do some soft pretzels as well. So here is the recipe for both the buns and the pretzels.

Dough recipe

7 cups unbleached all purpose flour

3 1/2 TBS butter (softened)

2 1/4 cups warm water

2 tsp salt ( using coarse salt as a topping)...(if you don't use salt as a topping adjust to 1 TBS salt)

2 tsp sugar

4 1/2 tsp yeast ( I always use instant)

In a mixing bowl add flour and yeast. Set aside. In a separate bowl mix salt, sugar and butter add warm water (butter doesn't need to melt). Pour liquid over flour all at once. Mix well and knead for 5-6 minutes using a mixer( kneading dough hook attachment). Form 16 rolls and let them rise on floured table for 20-25 minutes.

Do not allow the dough to rise too much as it will collapse and get soggy in the boiling process. In a large pot, boil 6 cups of water with 4 1/2 tsp baking soda. Carefully transfer 2 buns at a time with a spatula into the boiling water. Boil rolls exactly 1 minute turning constantly.

Sprinkle with coarse salt and cut in the middle an X 1/2 in deep. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 20 minutes.

If you want to make pretzels split the dough in 2 and make only 8 or 9 rolls and 8 or 9 pretzels.

Pretzels

Use half of dough and form 8 or 9 long ropes. Form into pretzel shapes.

Let rise 20- 25 minutes. It is at this point that I use my rice cooker with the steaming plate to hold the pretzels and steam them instead of boiling them. (I have found out that it can help the pretzels keep its shape and make the pretzels shiny and chewy). Place some water in your rice cooker and put the steaming plate in place. When it starts steaming, add a pretzel and steam 2-3 minutes. Do each one separately.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 10 or so minutes. Do not over bake as they will become hard. You can brush with melted butter or dip in melted cheese or marinara sauce or whatever you fancy!