Tips on making pretzels?

[Jeni78]

I am attemptin soft pretzels tonight...for a kids birthday party tomorrow.

Any tips on getting them just right? I am NOT messing around with lye...

 

[luvs]

try sprinkling some with a blend of cinnamon & sugar after baking, brush the pretzels with butter before. as yummy as kosher salt on them.

 

[kadesma]

Wish you were closer, I'd loan you my mold it makes 6 at a time. Just fill with your dough, then bake and then salt or put on sugar, melt on some cheese..Works like a dream and NO LYE.
kadesma

 

[justplainbill]

Wish you were closer, I'd loan you my mold it makes 6 at a time. Just fill with your dough, then bake and then salt or put on sugar, melt on some cheese..Works like a dream and NO LYE.
kadesma

IMHO, the best tasting pretzels are washed with lye. Sure wish I knew someone who could tell me how it's done.

 

[Jeni78]

I would have to agree but I don't want to mess around with that stuff.

The wash I am using is 10 cups of boiling water with 2/3 cup of baking soda in it.

 

[Wyogal]

Wearing gloves and goggles, one mixes the water and sodium hydroxide pellets, stir until dissolved. Dip room temp pretzels, place on rack to drip excess off, sprinkle with coarse salt. Place in oven.
Cannot reuse the solution. 32 oz water/1 1/4 oz sodium hydroxide pellets; pour down drain.
paraphrased from my Baking and Pastry book, CIA; p. 232-233
When baked the solution turns into inert salts.

 

[justplainbill]

Wearing gloves and goggles, one mixes the water and sodium hydroxide pellets, stir until dissolved. Dip room temp pretzels, place on rack to drip excess off, sprinkle with coarse salt. Place in oven.
Cannot reuse the solution. 32 oz water/1 1/4 oz sodium hydroxide pellets; pour down drain.
paraphrased from my Baking and Pastry book, CIA; p. 232-233
When baked the solution turns into inert salts.

Thanks for the info, sounds like the 3% solution I've read about elsewhere.

 

[kadesma]

IMHO, the best tasting pretzels are washed with lye. Sure wish I knew someone who could tell me how it's done.

Hey whatever floats your boat Of course the pretzels lye cooked are the best...But my grandkids love these and that's what I do.
kadesma

 

[larry_stewart]

The baking soda is what gives them theor " pretzel " flavor and the dark color. I like to brush them with a little sweetened butter after they are finished baking, then sprinkle a little salt on so it has that sweet/ salty taste.

Also, i never was that good at making that pretzel shape, so i just keep them long and straight, and call them " snake pretzels"

The kids think its cool because they are " snake pretzels" not realizing that the only reason for their shape is my incompetence in making a regular pretzel"

Similar process to making bagels, boil then bake

 

[Wyogal]

actually, it's my least favorite part of pretzels! I prefer the unwashed, plain, chewy bread, maybe some salt.

 

[Jeni78]

Well, I used the baking powder wash and the pretzels turned out with great pretzel taste.

I no longer believe lye is required. Honestly, baking powder did the exact taste!

So I have learned I am TERRIBLE at pretzel shaping - I can make the shape but it looks weird and unpretzel like. I think I will be doing small "snake" shapes for this party.

All in all, it wasn't too terribly difficult and only took about two hours start to finish.

 

[Wyogal]

Good info! Nice to know there is a decent substitution!