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soft pretzels on plate

Recipe

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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon shortening (bacon grease, coconut oil, vegetable oil, etc,)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
  • 2 ½ - 3 cups bread flour (or all purpose)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup crumbled bacon pieces
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda
  • 1 egg white
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese (finely grated)

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1 cup water and shortening until about 120℉ (it should feel warm on your wrist, but not hot). Add sugar and yeast and stir until dissolved. Let yeast proof for a few minutes (become bubbly)
    1 tablespoon sugar, 1 packet active dry yeast, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon shortening
  • In a large bowl combine flour, salt and crumbled bacon pieces. Add yeast mixture and blend at low speed until moistened, then beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
    2 ½ - 3 cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup crumbled bacon pieces
  • Stir in additional 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups flour until dough pulls cleanly away from the bowl.
  • On a floured surface knead in ¼ cup to ½ cup flour for about 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
    If you have a mixer with a dough hook, let it do the work and knead for about 5 minutes.
  • Clean the large bowl and grease it. Place the dough in the bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in bulk about 45-60 minutes. I turn my oven to the lowest setting then turn it off and put the bowl in while rising.
  • Punch down dough to remove all air bubbles. Let rest 10 minutes.
  • Divide dough into 12 pieces. Roll into long ropes and shape like a pretzel, or cut into small "pretzel bites". Place on greased baking sheet. Let rise until light, 15-20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400℉. In a large saucepan, bring water and baking soda to a boil.
    6 cups water, 2 tablespoons baking soda
  • Add pretzels gently to the boiling water 2-3 at a time. Flip after 10-15 seconds and boil another 10-15 seconds. If you like them with extra pretzel taste, boil 30-45 seconds a side.
  • Remove pretzels with a slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet. Combine egg white with 1 tablespoon water and brush on pretzels. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
    1 egg white, ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes depending on desired level of brownness.

Notes

You can substitute all purpose flour for the bread flour, but you may want to knead and let them rise a little longer to have the same light chewy texture.