Hot Buttered Soft Pretzels (and Pretzel Dogs)

I've already made pretzel hot dog buns, and even though they were a success, they did come out way bigger than intended (so the hot dog to bun ratio was way off). That's why I couldn't resist wrapping the pretzel directly around the hot dog, eliminating any guess work. It was fun, tasty and cute, but unless it's a special occasion and the kid requests it, I probably won't take the time to do it again (considering I can open a package of hot dog buns in about two seconds).

HOT BUTTERED SOFT PRETZELS

(AND PRETZEL DOGS)

Yield: 8 large pretzels or 16 pretzel dogs

(or 4 large pretzels + 8 pretzel dogs)

Dough:

2 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

7/8 to 1 cup warm water (use less in summer, more in winter—enough for soft dough)

Topping:

1 cup boiling water (for pretzel dogs, increase to 4 cups)

2 tablespoons baking soda (for pretzel dogs, increase to ½ cup)

coarse, kosher or pretzel salt, optional

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

8 or 16 hot dogs (if making pretzel dogs), preferably uncured, organic

1.      To make dough by hand, or with a mixer: Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl, and beat until well-combined. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it's soft, smooth, and quite slack. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

To make dough with a bread machine: Place all of the dough ingredients into the pan of your bread machine, program the machine for dough or manual, and press start. Allow the dough to proceed through its kneading cycle (no need to let it rise), then cancel the machine, flour the dough, and let it rest in a covered bowl or plastic bag (close the bag loosely, leaving room for the dough to expand) for 30 minutes.

To make dough with a food processor: Place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in the work bowl of a food processor equipped with the steel blade. Process for 5 seconds. Add the water, and process for 7 to 10 seconds, until the dough starts to clear the sides of the bowl. Process a further 45 seconds. Place a handful of flour in a bowl, scoop the slack dough into the bowl, and shape the dough into a ball, coating it with the flour. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2.      While dough is resting, combine the boiling water and baking soda, stirring until the soda is totally (or almost totally) dissolved. Set aside to cool to lukewarm (or cooler).

3.      Preheat oven to 475° F. Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with vegetable oil spray, or lining with parchment paper.

4.      Transfer dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 70g or 2 1/2 oz. each).

5.      Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

6.      Pour the baking soda/water into a 9" square pan.

7.      Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28" to 30" long), and twist each rope into a pretzel shape. *For pretzel dogs, cut each dough rope in half, so it’s only about 10” long. Roll the dough tightly around each hot dog in a spiral (pinch the edges to seal and leave the ends open). About ½-inch of hot dog should peek out each end of the dough.

8.      Working with 4 pretzels at a time, place them in the pan with the baking soda/water, spooning the water over their tops; leave them in the water for 2 minutes before placing them on the baking sheet. This will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color.

9.      Transfer the pretzels to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt, if desired (I recommend skipping the salt for pretzel dogs). Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

10.  Bake pretzels for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they're golden brown.

11.  Remove pretzels from the oven, and brush thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you've used it all up (it may seem like a lot, but that's what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste). Eat pretzels warm or reheat in an oven or microwave.

adapted from kingarthurflour.com

flour, salt, sugar and yeast

water added

dough resting in a bowl

dough separated into 8 pieces (one pieced rolled)

dough formed into a pretzel shape

dough wrapped around hot dogs

pretzel soaking in a baking soda/water bath

hot dogs soaking in a baking soda/water bath

soaked hot dogs

brushing baked pretzel with butter

brushing baked hot dogs with butter

Next time I would skip salting the hot dogs (the
dogs are salty enough and it's kind of overkill).

pretzel dogs

.

Beer Ice Cream with Pretzel Crunch

Naturally when I made pretzel crunch the other day, it was screaming out to be paired with beer ice cream. At least I could hear the screaming (it's hard above all that crunching, you really have to listen). And with the superbowl happening today, it didn't have to scream at me twice. I'm not a big beer drinker, but I do have a huge appreciation for booze with sweets. My only regret is that I didn't think of it sooner so you could be dishing this out to your friends tonight. Oh well, if it had to be one of us, I'm glad it's me.

 BEER ICE CREAM WITH PRETZEL CRUNCH

Makes about 1 ½ quarts

12 oz. beer*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons malted milk powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large yolks
2 cups heavy cream

2 to 3 cups pretzel crunch

*A malty beer that is 8–11% ABV is best (avoid overly hoppy beers since hops become bitter once cooked).

__________________________________________________________________________

1.      Pour beer into liquid measuring cup. Add 5 oz. beer to 8-inch skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer until beer is reduced by half, about 10 minutes, lowering heat as necessary to avoid creating too much foam. Return reduced beer to measuring cup with remaining 7 oz. beer. Add vanilla and stir to combine.

2.      Place fine-mesh strainer over medium bowl. Prepare ice bath in large bowl.

3.      Whisk together sugar, malt powder, salt, and egg yolks in large saucepan until smooth. Whisk in cream and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat, until mixture thickens to custardy consistency and registers 180º F., about 10 minutes (custard should coat back of spoon enough that dragging your finger through custard on spoon’s back leaves visible trail).

4.      Immediately pour mixture through strainer set over bowl, whisk in beer mixture, and set in ice bath. Whisk occasionally until custard reaches room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

5.      Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Mix in the pretzel crunch.

6.      Transfer to glass or plastic container, press plastic wrap or waxed paper against surface of ice cream, and cover with tight-fitting lid. Freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and preferably 24 hours. Ice cream will keep, frozen, up to 5 days.

adapted from the America’s Test Kitchen DIY Cookbook

I know nothing about beer...I picked this one because
the guy at the liquor store told me it was malty.

beer before reducing

reduced beer

adding reduced beer to beer with vanilla

sugar, malted milk powder, salt and yolks

mixed

cream whisked in

getting thick and custardy in the pan

strained; whisking over ice bath

adding the beer mixture

beer custard in the ice cream maker
(the next morning)

beer ice cream

adding pretzel crunch

beer ice cream with pretzel crunch

.

Pretzel Crunch

Here's a nice treat for the pretzel lovers out there. It's crunchy and slightly salty, but also a touch sweet. And it's just a little different, so it's special enough to serve at your superbowl party. But take note, this recipe yields only 2 cups, so unless your superbowl party is actually just you sitting on your barcalounger, drinking beer and yelling at the tv, you might want to double or triple the recipe. 

MALTED PRETZEL CRUNCH

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups mini pretzels, salted

1/4 cup malt powder (I used malted milk powder)

2 tablespoons milk powder (I used instant nonfat dry milk)
1/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

7 tablespoons butter, melted

_________________________________________________________________________

1.      Heat oven to 275° F.

2.      Pour the pretzels in a medium bowl and crush them with your hands to one-quarter of their original size. Add the milk powder, malt powder and sugars and toss to mix. Add the butter and toss to coat. As you toss, the butter will act as glue, binding the dry ingredients to the pretzels and creating small clusters.

3.      Spread the clusters on a parchment- or silpat-lined sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, at which point they should look toasted, smell buttery, and crunch gently when cooled slightly and chewed.

4.      Cool the pretzel crunch completely before storing or using in a recipe. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the crunch will keep fresh for 1 week; in the fridge or freezer, it will keep for 1 month.

slightly adapted from epicurious.com by Christina Tosi (Momofuku Milk Bar)

pretzels

slightly crushed pretzels

sugars, milk powder and malt powder added

mixing in the melted butter

mixed

before baking

baked

pretzel crunch close up

.

Ham and Cheddar Pretzel Bites with Jalapeño Mustard

These little pretzel bites are delicious and adorable. They make great hors d'oeuvres because kids and adults both love them and you can fill them with whatever you want. While I was rolling these, I was fantasizing about stuffing them with brie and raspberries. And even though the ham and cheddar was really good, I may have to do that one day, just to make that fantasy a reality. You've heard dream big or go home...I went home (and ate pretzel bites).

COUNTRY HAM AND CHEDDAR PRETZEL BITES WITH JALAPEÑO MUSTARD

Makes 4 dozen hors d’oeuvres or snacks

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar, divided

1/4 cup warm water (110-115º F)

1 cup warm milk (110-115º F)

2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1/2 cup finely chopped country ham (3 oz; preferably Newsom’s or Benton’s), divided

1/3 cup finely chopped sharp cheddar cheese, divided

6 cups water

4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 to 2 tablespoons pretzel salt or coarse salt

Jalapeño Mustard:

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded fresh jalapeños

1 tablespoon mild honey

1.      Stir together yeast, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and warm water in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, 5 to 8 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, start over with new yeast.)

2.      In a separate bowl, stir remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar into warm milk until dissolved.

3.      Add 2 1/2 cups flour and milk mixture to yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a soft dough forms, adding up to 1/2 cup additional flour, a little at a time, if necessary. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times to form a smooth ball. Transfer to a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled and bubbles appear on surface, about 2 hours.

4.      Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 equal pieces. Lightly dust your hands with flour, then gently roll and stretch 1 piece of dough to form a 12-inch-long rope. Flatten dough and arrange so a long side is nearest you, then roll out to a roughly 12- by 4-inch rectangle with a lightly floured rolling pin. Gently press one fourth of ham and cheese into lower third of rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border along bottom edge. Stretch bottom edge of dough up over filling and press tightly to seal, then roll up as tightly as possible to form a rope. Cut rope into 12 pieces and transfer to a sheet pan (leave about an inch between pieces, the dough will rise slightly). Repeat with remaining dough, ham, and cheese. Let rest at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

5.      Preheat oven to 400º F. with rack in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

6.      Bring about 6 cups water to a boil in a 4- to 5-qt saucepan. Reduce heat and stir in baking soda. Cook pretzel bites in batches in gently simmering water, turning once, until slightly puffed, about 20 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to sheet pans.

7.      Bake until puffed and golden-brown, about 15 minutes (cheese may ooze slightly).

8.      Meanwhile, stir together mustard, jalapeños, and honey (can be made 1 day ahead and chilled).

9.      Brush warm pretzel bites with butter and sprinkle with pretzel salt. Serve warm or at room temperature with jalapeño mustard for dipping.

Pretzels can be made 2 weeks ahead and frozen (once cooled). Thaw 30 minutes, then reheat in a 400° F. oven about 10 minutes.

from Gourmet, October 2009 by Edward Lee

yeast, brown sugar and water

foamy

adding brown sugar to milk

adding flour to yeast mixture

adding milk mixture to flour/yeast

dough mixed

dough rolled into a ball

setting aside the dough in a bowl to rise

jalapeño

dijon mustard, chopped jalapeño & honey

jalapeño mustard

dough - doubled in size

dough - separated into four parts

dough rope

rolled dough

ham

There was no country ham at the store,
so I went with a really good Italian ham.

spreading the ham and cheese

filling spread; ready to roll

rolling

rolled

cut into pieces

on sheetpan

a little puffier after resting for 30 minutes

about to drop in boiling water/baking soda

boiling & turning

removing with a slotted spoon

boiled on a sheetpan

baked

brushing with butter

I think the butter is added just so the salt will stick.
Next time I might try sprinkling the salt on before
baking and see if it sticks without the butter.

sprinkling with salt

I used the coarsest salt I had (fleur de sel).

dipping in jalapeño mustard

.