Bretzels

[benjibong]

take it from someone in the business mate..... the standard of baking on show on this site is stunning. lots of so called artisan professionel bakers could not do that ... just goes to show you the best breads are made in homes by people cooking for the family. nice one

b.

[veauifru]

Where did you get the Sodium Hydroxide? It's not drain cleaner I hope??? And how concentrated did you make it to come out like that?

Thanks
Tom

[cannyfradock]

benjibong

I did see Calaf's picture of his pretzels soon after he posted it....but didn't comment. Don't you just hate it when somebody posts a picture that is 10 times better than you made!!!

In all honesty your words ring quite true and I am truly impressed with the quality of stuff our members turn out.....from baking to meat.... and 2 veg.......just to rub it in, Mrs cannyfradock comes from Hanover in Northern Germany and she saw calaf's picture and said....LOOK, LOOK that's what they should look like ....I wouldn't want it any other way and truly appreciate everyone who share their pics with us.

Terry

[Breadandwine]

Truly spot on, Calaf! Gorgeous!

[Calaf]

now I feel bad

Tom, search for Analytical Grade Sodium Hydroxide available from Laboratory Reagent suppliers. Alternatively, I've seen bottled Food Grade Lye in a Chinese cash-n-carry warehouse but don't recall the concentration. It needs to be 3 to 5% for Pretzels.

Terry, Mrs Canny will love you if you do this. I have a close friend from Hamburg who enjoyed them before.

- In a s/steel pan or stoneware dish Dissolve 25g of Sodium Hydroxide into 750ml of COLD water, double quantities for large pretzels - (do not use Aluminium pans or foil as it will react but Steel, Copper, Enamel, Stoneware, Silicone etc are all fine)

- The solution will feel soapy to touch. It's not harmful at this concentration for short periods but if you have open cuts or sensitive skin use plastic gloves. (bricklayers are probably immune to alkali anyhow )

- After shaping the dough dunk it in the soda bath for 15-20 seconds, remove and sprinkle with salt. you will notice the dough discolours slightly

- If you shaped the pretzel with a bulge in the middle slash it with a knife to create the contrast in the 'skin'

- Leave to rise and bake as normal. the Caustic Soda breaks down the protein on the surface of the dough creating the crisp skin and distinct flavour.

- pour the bath into the sink (it's drain cleaner, after all)

--

Hi Paul! Coming from a baker of your caliber I value that compliment.

[turkey]

I am often in trouble for spending too much time looking at flour in shops, and having too much in the cupboard, so its very tempting to go on an excursion to find some of this lye as we do have a Chinese wholesale shop just round the corner. Keep her on her toes

Does anyone have an "authentic" recipe for the dough?

they look awesome btw Calaf, I do like a good pretzel and nothing I have baked so far has hit the mark really yet.

[dougclay]

May 2, 2012 10:20:50 GMT turkey said:

Does anyone have an "authentic" recipe for the dough?

The closest I have come to "authentic" dough so far is below. I am now on the lookout for some "Food Grade Lye" because the Kaiser Natron I tried was close, but just not quite right and definitely not dark enough. The texture was spot on though...

500 g Weizenmehl (I use regular Strong Flour)
42 g frische Hefe (Fresh Yeast, sachet of dried can be used too)
200 ml Wasser, leicht warm (Warm Water)
150 ml Milch, leicht warm (Warm Milk)
1 TL Zucker (1Tsp Sugar)
1 Pck. Backpulver (1Tbsp Baking Powder)
1 TL Salz (1Tsp Salt)
20 g Schweineschmalz oder weiche Butter (Lard/Dripping or Soft Butter)

Needs a lot of kneading, I put it in the (now repaired) Kenwood for 15 mins...
When its smooth and not too sticky, on goes one of the shower caps from the collection, until the dough is doubled

Cut into 16 portions, but not into balls!! I split it into strips, ie cut into 2 then each half cut along it length and each of those again along the length. The resulting sausages of dough are much easier to roll as brezeln. Don't flour the surface or the sauages will slide instead of rolling...
For proper Schwaebisch style, roll nice and thin at the ends, the finished brezel can be about 4x thicker than it is at this stage so go as long as you can.
Schwaebisch shape is without a twist, the thin arms of the brezel are just crossed.

The last time used 2 sachets of Kaiser Natron in luke warm water, but it was still not caustic enough so hoping the Lye is the answer...

My finished brezeln have that crisp outer shell and soft inside as you bite into them, especially when still warm. The arms, just the way I like them, crunchy!!