New To Pretzel Making

[RittenRV]

I am looking to learn how to make pretzels. My wife has made pretzels before but now I want to make pretzels myself.

I have read the recipes. Watched hours of youtube video on making everything from Bavarian Pretzels to Pretzel bits.

I am looking to discuss hints or anything to do with Prezetel making.

Any comment on the Lye and Backing Soda issue. Then I saw heating the baking soda in an oven before dipping the pretzel. Any comment on that.

Any particular trick on kneading the dough or preparing that.

I am looking forward to any comment on pretzel making.

Russell V. Rittenhouse

 

[GimmeAnother1]

I believe I used this one when I did mine. Salt and buttered they were awesome!
Not sure what the baking soda issue is but it’s a must imo.

https://youtu.be/BAT3R7dXQZ8


Mine

 

[RittenRV]

GimmeAnother1 thank ou for responding. I appreciate the input.

 

[CWS4322]

An acquaintance of mine was a gluten-free baker. She was well known for her pretzels. She baked them on a double half pan--she put one upside down and put the other one on top--right side up. She sprayed the pretzels with a soda water baking soda "spritz" she also used pretzel salt--something we could buy at the local Bulk Barn and a shop that specialized in baking supplies. She turned the pretzels over 1/2 through the bake, spritzed, salted, and also rotated the pan. That's the best I can remember re: her technique. I haven't made pretzels for eons. I would be tempted to make a yukone if I were to make them today. Clueless on the lye. My acquaintance was a professionally trained pastry chef, so I am guessing she had a reason for doing what she did.

 

[larry_stewart]

Not sure the purpose of preheating the baking soda.

Not sure which recipe I use ( I think its Alton Browns), but basically:
- Make the dough as instructed
- Shape the pretzels ( My kids at the time never were able to shape them correctly ( neither could I) so we made ' Snake Pretzels' .
- Boil in water/ baking soda mix ( I know I reduced the amount of baking soda, cause it was a little tooo intense for me. The baking soda gives it that pretzel taste and a darker color
- Place on baking sheet / salt
- Bake
- What I like to do after it comes out of the oven is brush al the pretzels with a slightly sweetened melted butter, to give it kinda that Auntie Ann's Mall pretzel hint to it.

Having lived in Philly for a bunch of years, I dip it in nothing other than Mustard.
Philly has the best pretzels.

Picture is of a Philly Pretzel

 

[dcSaute]

pretzels are pretzels because of the alkali surface treatment - thin crispy crust + a "taste"


heating baking soda changes it chemically from bicarbonate of soda to carbonate of soda - which is "closer" to lye. takes about an hour at 300'F

 

[RCJoe]

My understanding of the Lye is that it goes into the boiling water and the pretzel
goes into that for a boil before being baked. This is what gives the nut brown color to the baked pretzel. It's a similar process to bagels.

 

[goldfinger]

For true pretzels you must use lye instead of sodium bicarbonate. There's a world of a difference. With sodium bicarbonate you basically have a breadstick. With lye you have a pretzel.

I know some of you are leery of using lye due to safety concerns but if you take proper precautions, it can be done safely.