Pretzel Bread

(from dennis.reb’s recipe box)

Categories: Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 cups all purpose flour, plus additional for dusting the countertop
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • kosher salt

Directions

  1. In a small pan heat the milk, water, brown sugar and honey to 110 degrees. (Use a candy thermometer on this to make sure that you don’t overheat – if it gets too hot it will kill the yeast so it’s important to keep it between 110 and 115 degrees).

  2. It won’t take more than 3-5 minutes to achieve 110 degrees.

  3. Remove from heat and pour into your mixer bowl.

  4. Add the yeast and gently stir.

  5. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, preferably 20 or until mixture is frothy.

  6. Start to add the flour into the bowl with the dough hook blending on low speed. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan and add the minced garlic stirring just until garlic is fragrant.

  7. Add the butter and garlic to the mixer and continue to blend with the dough hook, increasing the speed until the dough has come together to form a smooth texture that can easily be pulled away and formed into a ball.

  8. Dust the countertop with flour, pat the dough into a large disc and cut into 4 equal pieces and then cut those pieces in half to form 8 pieces total.

  9. Roll these into balls and place on a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

  10. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place for 15 minutes to rise.

  11. After rising roll the balls into 7 inch logs and place them back onto the baking sheet, cover and let rise again for another 30 minutes.

  12. When finished rising bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pan, add 1/2 cup of baking soda and reduce heat to a low boil. Using a slotted spatula place the dough logs in the water for 30 seconds on each side.

  13. Line a 2nd baking sheet with a fresh sheet of parchment paper and spray lightly with Pam.

  14. As you remove the dough from the water, carefully transfer them to the baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt.

  15. Continue this process until all 8 rolls are complete and then make 3 diagonal slices across the top of each.

  16. Set the oven to 425 degrees, adjust the racks so one is 2nd from the bottom and one is 2nd from the top.

  17. Put the buns on the top rack first, set the timer for 6 minutes.

  18. After the first 6 minutes move the baking sheet to the bottom rack and finish baking for the final 6 minutes but watch carefully to make sure they don’t over brown.

  19. You may need to rotate them one more time to the top if they look like they are getting too brown on the bottom rack.

  20. Let cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.

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