DW German Soft Pretzels!

When I write my Friday blog, I usually talk about one of the breads I've posted on Facebook within the past week. It's hard to choose sometimes - so many fun, tasty treats and so many stories to tell about them! However,  it usually comes down to one that I've particularly fallen in love with or one that stirred up a lot of interest. This week, I chose a bread that reminded me of summertime fun..... the DW German Pretzels!

My good friend, Deb, is slightly DisneyWorld crazy (I say that in the most endearing way - I LOVE this woman!!)....but she and her family spend WEEKS at a time there....and love every minute. (I'm good for 4-5 days and then I'm ready to come home - LOL!)  There is a lot to be said for the place.....the entertainment is amazing; it's well-kept; there's something for everyone to do; it's beautiful; it's imaginative....and, generally speaking,  the food is AWESOME!!!!! Last week, Deb messaged me this recipe for their German pretzels and jokingly suggested that I might make them for her and her family. Well, I thought I would take up the challenge of making something as tasty as she might enjoy in Florida! The technique was slightly different than most pretzels I've made (actually it's simpler...) which made a pretzel that turned out crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. I rushed them up to her house, where I waited with baited breath for her professional DW approval.......and she loved 'em!! I hope you'll like them, too!

DW German Soft Pretzels

Yield: 10 pretzels

Dough Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 package/Tbsp. Red Star Platinum yeast 

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

3 ½ - 4 cups all-purpose flour

For topping:

1 egg

1 tablespoons water

Pretzel (or coarse) salt

prepared mustard (optional)

Instructions:

Place yeast and warm water in the EZ DOH bucket. Stir to dissolve yeast, then let rest for 1 minute. Add one cup of flour, then remaining dough ingredients. EZ DOH-it, or traditionally knead dough, until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 10 equally-sized balls (about 3 oz. each). Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each piece out to approximately an 18” rope, twist in the middle and then attach the ends to the dough to form a pretzel shape. Place prepared pretzels on a large baking sheet that covered with baking parchment (or spray your sheet with cooking spray). Cover and let rise until doubled. Whisk the egg with the water to create an egg wash. Brush the risen pretzels with the egg wash. Sprinkle with pretzel salt. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Dip in mustard, if you choose!

Visit: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/  for more delicious breads! 

DW German Soft Pretzels!