Snow Day Soft Pretzels from Scratch
The Inspiration
The Process
First, yeast is alive. It eats sugar, so first I have to grow some yeast. Then, I have to add some milk, salt and flour and beat it into a glop of dough. If all goes well, it will be on its way to becoming pretzels for me. First I needed warm water. 105 to 115 degrees.
Right now, I have the yeast munching on sugar in a red Solo cup. It seems to be happy. Although, it is waiting for the flour, I'm sure. I have to get the milk up to the temperature between 105 and 115 as well.
I have a cup of milk sitting in a bath of hot water it was 47 degrees F to start, but it's slowly warming up. I have changed the water several times, adding new hot water...it's almost to 105 now.
Getting milk to 105 Degrees Using Hot Water Bath
Next - Mix and Beat
Initially, with the yeast and milk, you must mix salt and a flour to the side of the bowl and added the warm milk and the yeast slurry.
With the mixer, I mixed them together
Then - Knead for Ten Minutes
I have to scoop this dough onto a flour surface. Then squish it until it's an elastic ball. They claim it takes ten minutes to knead.
Kneading means you squish the dough ball into the flour, then grab the corners and fold in. Flip over, do the same again. For ten minutes
It must feed the yeast one last time, and it probably adds air. I don't know.
Let sit over heat 1 1/2 Hour
It's 11:44 am, so ninety minutes, I'll be ready for next step. It has to, wait... The yeast has to do its thing and the ball of dough needs to double in size.
Raising
Register is Warm
Seems like a good idea. The furnace register is running now. It's a warm spot.
Timer Beeps After Hour and Half
Since my baking sheet was cold, I heated it slightly with my toaster oven, by putting the sheet on the toaster and running toaster one toast cycle.
I need flour on this sheet. Since I'm making pretzel bites, I want to roll out ball and cut into strips, but then, cut strips into short stubs.
I have to boil them in baking soda treated water before they are baked
Drop 2 pretzels in boiling water for one minute. However, I have mini pretzels, I have about 50 pieces, so divided by 10 pretzels .. that 5 pieces each so 10 pieces per boiling should do it.
By the last batch, they all went in the boiling bath. Didn't seem to hurt them. Smile.
Bake
Place egg coated pieces on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven, for 18 minutes
