SOFT, CHEWY PRETZELS 

The idea of a baking your own soft pretzels with just the right amount of chewyness, saltyness and that unmistakable pretzel flavour - may seem far off. But it's super easy, and super fun. Especiallly when you have a bag of Buns & Brioche. These pretzels can even be made vegan with an appropriate vegan butter substitute:

• 400 g Buns & Brioche

• 250 g lukewarm water
  

• 30 g sugar (we use a darker/brown sugar for a richer taste)
  

• 15 g fresh yeast
  

• 6 g salt (in the dough)
  

• 25 g soft butter (or vegan alternative)

For the boil:

3 liters of water
50 g baking soda (not baking powder)
25 g sugar

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water.

Add half the bag of Buns & Brioche. Mix (by hand is fine) for a few minutes, add the other half. At first you’ll think the dough is way too dry - don’t worry. Keep mixing. The dough now comes together. Add the salt and continue to mix. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Now add the soft (room temp) butter and mix for another few minutes. Leave for 5 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 pieces. With a firm hand roll the pieces into round dough balls. With equally firm hands, work each dough ball by rolling it from the middle outwards - keep the middle a bit thicker (continuously going back to the middle and roll outwards again. Don’t worry if the dough breaks up a bit - you can press it together.

Make each piece into approx. 30 cm long piece and then shape the pretzel (shape inverted U, twist the two ends twice and fold backwards, spreading the ends to the far sides of the thicker middle of the pretzel. Spray with water (or leave under moist cloth) and let proof for 1,5 hours.

Put on the oven at 210 degrees Celsius (convection) an hour before. Once the pretzels have proofed (almost double in size) - boil the water, turn down the heat slightly, and carefully add the baking soda and sugar. This will bubble up (aggressively).

Boil each pretzel for about 10 seconds each - place on a baking parchment paper and sprinkle salt onto. IF you want to have them more shiny, first brush with egg wash (we use 1 egg yolk + 0,5 tbsp milk or water). If you want them softer, brush them with melted butter directly after they come out of the oven.

Bake for 8 minutes, then turn the tray around and bake for another 8-9 minutes.

Take out to cool and enjoy