I fell in love with Ellie Krieger’s soft pretzel recipe, today, but I’ll have to keep trying it until I master my pretzel shaping technique. 🙂
The recipe calls for:
- 1 packet instant yeast
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1-1/2 cups warm water
- 2-1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp water
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds + 1-1/2 tsp course salt, or your preferred topping
Combine the yeast, honey, and water in a stand mixer and let sit until it begins to foam. Add the flours, salt, oil, and butter and mix on low speed with a paddle attachment until the dough begins to form a ball. Use a dough hook to knead the dough a few more minutes until it is smooth. I added a bit more flour while the dough was kneading until the dough was no longer sticky.
Divide the dough into 18 equal parts. With your hands, roll each part into a long strand (~14 inches), then shape it into a pretzel.
Beat the egg and add the water. Brush each pretzel with the egg wash and sprinkle with your choice of topping. Bake at 425 F for 18 to 20 minutes.
I paired the pretzels with Krieger’s Pimento Cheese – a wonderful recipe that I’ll share after I’ve experimented with it a bit more.