Sesame Seeds Pretzels

 

Pretzels are a bread that I haven't had much experience baking or much success with in the past, particularly struggling with getting them to have that classic pretzel look. Therefore, I fancied giving them a go again and trying to perfect my technique. The tips I discovered along the way are to ensure that the dough is not too wet so that they are easier to shape and to let the rolled out dough to rest for a couple of minutes before trying to shape them as it tended to shrink back a little after shaping when not doing so, resulting in a more roll-like shape rather than having the classic pretzel holes. Now that I've got the technique worked out, these may become a staple bake as they were a delicious accompaniment to soup for dinner. 

Recipe - Makes 8 pretzels:

• 350g strong white bread flour 
• 5.2g yeast
• 5.2g salt
• 9g light brown sugar 
• 15g softened butter 
• 90ml milk
• 100ml water
• 2 tbsp bicarbonate of soda 
• Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Put the flour in a bowl and tip the yeast to one side and the salt and sugar to the other. Add the butter, followed by the milk, then enough water to form a soft but not sticky dough. Turn onto a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes to smooth and elastic. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled. 

Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly to knock the air out. Divide in eight equal pieces. Roll each piece out to a long sausage, pushing towards the ends to remove any air. Leave them to rest for a couple of minutes before rolling out further, then twisting the ends twice and curving into the classic pretzel shape. Place on a lined baking tray whilst you fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil. Add the bicarbonate of soda then drop each pretzel in for 5-10 seconds. Remove and place back on the baking tray and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Make a slassh on the bottom of each pretzel with a sharp blade and bake ar 200C 15-20 minutes until hollow sounding when the base is tapped and they are deep brown in colour. Remove and leave to cool or serve warm.